The Abbey Gardens are situated by the River Severn next to the English Bridge that connects the centre of Shrewsbury with the area known as Abbey Foregate close to the Abbey of the Holy Cross. In the gardens is a 12thc font, displayed as a decorative feature and sometimes used as a planter.

In 1997 the font was used as a plant trough in the centre of a flowerbed in the Abbey Gardens, making it impossible to provide any accurate measurements. It was also supported on cushion capitals. In March 2024 the cushion capital supports had gone and there were no flowers in the bowl. Its provenance is unknown (according to a reference printed on a panel at the entrance to the gardens). Curiously no record of it is to be found in the Historic Engliand List Descriptions or the Shropshire Heritage Environment Record, although other objects in the gardens are included.