Norman font moved 500 miles 'for King's benefit'
Norman font moved 500 miles 'for King's benefit'
Mon, August 3, 2026 at 12:45 PM UTC
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The font travelled from Shropshire to Scotland while the King was at school there in the 1960s
A 12th Century Norman font was moved from a Shropshire church to Scotland so King Charles III could be "surrounded by ancient objects of English beauty" while he was at school.
The font was taken from St Michael's Church at Upton Cressett to Gordonstoun School in Moray in the 1960s after Prince Philip arranged for it to be transported north.
It remained in the school's chapel during Charles's time there before being returned to its home in the 1970s.
William Cash, whose family has cared for the church for 50 years, said the font's journey was "like something out of an Arthurian legend".
Shaped like a large stone barrel, the lead-lined receptacle is a rare Norman tub font decorated with ornate carvings.
Philip came across it while visiting St Michael's with former MP Ivor Bulmer-Thomas, who was working with him on efforts to protect historic churches that had fallen out of use.
The church closed in 1958 and was in a "terrible state" when the late Duke of Edinburgh visited, with plans to place many of its contents, including the font, into storage.
'Fit for a king'
Cash said the Duke decided the font should instead be moved to Gordonstoun after Charles enrolled there in 1962.
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"I think Philip thought, 'what a waste to have it just sitting in a storage unit'," Cash said.
He added that he had no idea how the font had been transported more than 500 miles to the school.
"This is a strange story that to this day most people don't know about," he said, adding that visitors "find it almost impossible to believe that this font has moved so many hundreds of miles for the King's aesthetic benefit".
He added: "It always feels like something out of an Arthurian legend, like this was a font that was fit for a king."
Although St Michael's does not hold regular services, the font is occasionally used for baptisms. Cash said members of his own family had been baptised using it.
The church is now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust, of which Charles is a patron.
Steve Tarling, community officer at the trust, said local people had seen it as "an honour" that their font had accompanied the King to school and were grateful it had returned.
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Related internet links
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Churches Conservation Trust
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