By an ancient
ecclesiastical constitution a font of stone or other durable material,
with a fitting cover, was required to be placed in every church in which
baptism could be administered[156-+]; and it was, as Lyndwood informs us,
to be capacious enough for total immersion. Some ancient fonts are of
lead, as that in Dorchester Church, Oxfordshire, and that in Childrey
Church, Berkshire; both of these are cylindrical in shape, and of the
Norman era, encircled with figures in relief; those on the font at
Dorchester representing the twelve apostles, whilst those on that of
Childrey are of bishops. Leaden fonts are also to be met with in the
churches of Brookland, Kent; Wareham, Dorsetshire; and Walmsford,
Northamptonshire. Square and cylindrical or truncated cone-like shaped
fonts, of Norman design, supported on a basement by one or more shafts,
and either plain or sculptured, are numerous; we sometimes find on them
figures of the twelve apostles, sculptured in low relief; the baptism of
our Saviour also was no uncommon representation. Fonts subsequent to the
Norman era are not so frequently covered with sculptured figures, though
such sometimes occur; they are sexagonal, septagonal, or octagonal in
shape; and the different styles are easily ascertained by the
architectural decorations, mouldings, tracery, and panel-work, with which
they are more or less covered.
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