Location
Formerly in St. Barbara's Church, Hilsea, now in St. Barbara's Church, Deepcut.
Information
Associated with the font is a framed account of it's history. This read as follows:-
"THE FONT
Hilsea Garrison Church
This Font, of dove marble, some seven hundred years old, was found built up in an old stone wall, when the Officers' Quarters (Gatcombe House) were enlarged in 1877, and was brought here on the erection of the Garrison Church in 1888.
It was probably the Holy Water Stoup of the Priory Church which stood not far away, and it is not unlikely that some pious soul preserved it from desecration at the time of the spoliation of Religious Houses, by placing it within the wall above mentioned. In the year 1911, a Baptistery was formed, and a suitable Caen stone base and support provided, by the zeal and energy of Major Hume, R.E. District Officer, who was, with Colonel Coghill, R.F.A., (Commanding 15th Brigade) Churchwarden at the time.
The cover, of 300 year old oak, was designed by Rev. F.G. Wright, Chaplain to the Forces, Hilsea Garrison, and presented by Mr. Ernest Smith, of Southsea, in memory of his Father, while the carved oak kneeling stool, was presented by Mr. and Mrs. Hodges, of Hilsea, in memory of their son, a former chorister of the Church.
The carpet and brass ewer were given by the congregation about the same time, while the crimson cord was plaited by a member of the Church of England Men's Society, Hilsea Garrison Branch."
THE COVER TO THIS
[....] FONT
FORMERLY THE HOLY WATER STOUP
IN THE ADJACENT PRIORY OF
GATCOMBE
WAS PRESENTED BY ERNEST SMITH
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
HIS FATHER THOMAS SMITH
WHITSUNDAY
1910
Additional Information
Little is known of the Priory Church, but Gatcombe House which was built in the vicinity of the Church still stands.
Rev. F.G. Wright was the son of Archdeacon Henry Press Wright who was Chaplain at the Royal Garrison Church, Portsmouth between 1866 and 1876.
