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

[Greensleeves]

Good evening - so glad you have resurrected this topic under a wider umbrella, Maggie!   Will now go and read the posts so far so that I know what's going on.  I gather there is discussion about the size of the 'font' which I look forward to reading.

[Maggie.]

I think I have under estimated the size  

On the previous 'font' photo at the link on page one to the other thread, there is a ladies glove.  When measured against the font it gives a diameter of approx. 24" and a depth of 11/12" (the 'font' is only buried to topsoil level). From memory it is hollowed out to a depth of approx. 4".  It is slightly squared off from the circular on one side - right hand edge of pic. on page 1, as though it could possibly have been shaped to fit against a wall.

We did manage to move it in order to see underneath but there is no way 2 men could have lifted it.  I feel annoyed with myself that we didn't take full notes on its dimensions but we found this on a field walk with another agenda, in other words this was an added extra.  I shall return to it as soon as the mud around here dries up a bit.

[Maggie.]

You are most welcome, GS.  I shall look forward to your observations 

It could be relevant to repeat that there is a supposed shrine to St Chad within fairly short distance of the present day position of this artifact.  There are also some huge and as yet unidentified stones on the hillside to the south east at a distance of some 2-3 miles.  The earliest reference to a church at Newchurch in Pendle is 1250, but there is some circumstantial evidence that there was a much earlier church, not necessarily on the site of the existing one.

[Wiggy]

Hi Maggie,

 - the stone picture you attached to this thread, from your garden - I notice one end is almost straight - unless it is the angle of the photo - so does that lend itself to being a stoup - as in the first one pictured by Alpinecottage?    Or having once been standing on the 'straight' surface?   

Very interesting information on that thread also YT.    Could be a Metate couldn't it!

Wiggy

[Greensleeves]

Many of the early Christian shrines in this country are located on pagan sacred sites, in the same way that churches were often set atop pagan mounds.  In this way, the church was able to combine christianity and allow the people to keep some of their old pagan customs, which were then given a Christian veneer.    The pagans considered wells and springs to be sacred sites, and for this reason it is not uncommon to find early Christian shrines close to these.   So, if you know of any springs or wells in that valley, Maggie, might be a good idea to go and have a look around them.

[Maggie.]

Hi Wiggy  

Yes - that's what I meant when I said 'slightly squared of from the circular'.  It could have been made to fit against something couldn't it?

Wiggy - huge apologies, just noticed I had described the wrong stone ...... I really must pay better attention 

You are absolutely correct, my 'garden stone' does have a fairly straight edge at the right hand side of the pic, then the stone tapers to a more pointed end.  The stone has a bevelled base so it 'rocks' slightly.  The stone can be held quite comfortably between one's knees whilst sitting on the floor so it's easy to see how it may have been used for ginding.  I would not imagine is is a stoup.

[Wiggy]

The 'dimple' in the middle is amazingly round though isn't it!       wouldn't you just love someone to come forth and explain it once and for all!!

 - sometimes we see things a bit like that where a meteorite has hit the earth/rock! 

[Greensleeves]

This is a font at St Michael's Church, Grindale, Yorkshire, which is described as "an ancient font from the church at Argham".

[Maggie.]

So, if you know of any springs or wells in that valley, Maggie, might be a good idea to go and have a look around them.

This is part of our on-going work, GS - and very enjoyable it is too although not in the Winter.

We had a field walk in the Autumn to see a well on the afore mentioned hillside that could be a candidate for St Chad's Well/Shrine.  There was not a lot to see unfortunately - just a flagstone over a spring but its position is interesting.  In the valley bottom is another spring and the source of two streams flowing in opposite directions - one westerly through the Sabden Fold valley and the other easterly towards Barrowford.  One could imagine that this would be a place of significance and on the 1848 OS map several standing stones are shown in a 'corridor' position.  No-one can locate these stones now, although older villagers can remember them lying in a field.  Local farmers are very good at either dragging stones out of the ground and dragging them away or smashing them up.