Ruins and Romans, Fonts and Furrows. Anything Old in Lancashire

[Maggie.]

A short time ago there was a thread that grew from modest beginnings into a lively, intelligent and informed discussion on certain aspects of the ancient history of Lancashire, specifically the Forest of Pendle.  It proved to be a very well supported thread.

But it ran it's course.

After a great deal of deliberation I have decided to start another history thread, this time under a less constraining title and to start us off, here is a font - or perhaps it is not a font.  We were discussing what it may or may not have been here:-

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0jqi/  page 4, #38

Perhaps the discussion about the font can continue, or perhaps not.  Let's see what happens and where the thread takes us.  We don't have to stick with Pendle Forest, but please remember that as we are on the Lancashire board our talk must be about historical aspects of this fine and beautiful County of the Red Rose.

Maggie 

[mosiefish]

Thank you Maggie  

I was so interested in the previous thread that I even got a book out from the library about the Roman occupation of Lancashire. 

I love that "font" and it certainly looks like one. I seem to remember reading somewhere  that the Asherton family donated one to Downham or  Newchurch? and I was just wondering what would have happened to the previous one. - if there had been one.  Blowed if I can find where I read this.

Mo

[Maggie.]

Nice to see you in here Mo 

I don't know about a donated font in Downham, although logically a donated font would be in that village rather than Newchurch as the family seat is in the village.  The font in the field is in the Sabden Fold area so it's a distance from Downham, unless they lugged it over Pendle Hill.  At Newchurch there is the usual type of font that I assume is Victorian but I would have to check, but also there is another on the floor in a corner.  This one was apparently found a few years ago either in a barn or a field - I can check up on this at the next club meeting - but it looks very like the one in my photo, which of course is still in the field.  So there could be two.

Small correction - 'Asherton' is 'Assheton'

http://www.thornber.net/famhist/htmlfiles/ashton.html

Maggie

[youngtug]

What type of stone is it made of. Probably not Saxon, too shallow. http://www.historyfish.net/abbeys/abbeyparts/cox_fonts.html

[Maggie.]

Hi YT - I'm first guessing at a type of sandstone but again I will have to check.

Interesting link, thanks.

[youngtug]

If its sandstone then the water will soak into it and when there is a frost, being exposed,  it will blow off a layer of stone, Could be that it was deeper but the sides have eroded.

[groom]

Just a thought, rather than a font could it be some kind of grindstone or millstone? Although if it's sandstone it would probably be too soft. How big is it Maggie?

[Maggie.]

If its sandstone then the water will soak into it and when there is a frost, being exposed,  it will blow off a layer of stone, Could be that it was deeper but the sides have eroded.

It's very eroded, YT, we could see no trace of any carving around the sides.  It struck us that it was shallow.

[Maggie.]

Just a thought, rather than a font could it be some kind of grind stone? Although if it's sandstone it would probably be too soft. How big is it Maggie?

Hi Jan and welcome 

The possibility of it being a grindstone was also considered - we have examples of sandstone ones.  I would say it is around 18" diameter - the link to the old thread above takes you took another photo and there is a glove next to it, which gives a bit of scale.  Unbelievably none of us had a measure to hand as we came across it unintentionally.  Once the fields have dried out sufficiently I intend to re-visit it for a better look.