Roman Font

The tiny church bell which hangs in an open cote at the west end of the church is over 500 years old, it is inscribed with Lombardic characters which have not been deciphered. The pulpit bears the date 1634 and the initials of the donor John Dawes. The font is believed to be part of a Roman altar which stood as a wayside shrine on the Roman road which crossed the nearby fell of High Street. It was brought down from the fell and used as a holy water container and later as the font.
The churchyard contains an ancient Yew tree which is estimated to be 1300 years old, documents in the church state the men of Martindale, who were famous as bowmen used the tree and others in the district to replenish their arms. Also in the churchyard is the Birkett tomb where the first priest of St Martin’s, Richard Birkett is interred. His epitaph states that he was 95 years old when he died and left a sum of £100 "towards the better maintenance of a godly, sober and religious Minister at Martindale Chapel
The Roman Font almost certainly came from the nearby Roman Rd on nearby High Street where it was used as a way marker . And at some point local shepherds are said to have used this stone as a sharpening stone - hence the marks.