Overbury / Oureberie / Uferabyrig / Uferebreodun / Uferebiri / Uverabreodun / Uverbyri / Werebyri

There is an entry for Overbury [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SO9537/overbury/] [accessed 29 September 2014]; it reports a priest and church lands in it. The font here is noted in Lewis' Dictionary of 1848: "the font is curiously carved with the figure of a bishop". Reported in The Ecclesiologist (vol. 16/23, 1855) on the occasion of a visit to St. Faith's by the Worcester Diocesan Architectural Society on 22 June 1855: Tthe font attracted much attention, the upper part of it being evidently of as early date as the original church [i.e., early Norman]. It is covered with rude sculptures." Noake (1868) reports "circular Norman font enriched with rude and curious sculptures". Miller (1890) writes: "The font has a tapering cylindrical bowl on a 14[th] century stem; the bowl has four panels-- (1) a priest in canonicals holding a model of the church; (2) bishop with staff in each hand; (3) cross with dove above; (4) foliage work." Described in Cox & Harvey (1907): "circular font, rashly styled Saxon by some, has sculptured figures of great variety." File entry in the Christian Art Index (Phot. Cambria. Bishops and donation scenes). Described in Andrews (1912): "fine font on which is sculptured an ecclesiastic holding in either hand a rod taller than his head, just curved at the tops; and the other sides bear various devices -- one a man holding a church in his hand, without doubt a representation of the founder of the church." The Victoria County History (Worcester, vol. 3, 1913): "In 1086 the Prior and convent of Worcester had on their manor of Overbury a priest who had half a hide of land [...] The earliest part of the building is the nave, with its two arcades and clearstory, which dates from the latter part of the 12th century, but the variation in the width probably indicates the pre-existence of an aisleless building. [...] The font is large, and has a bowl which appears to date from the 11th century on a 14th-century stem and base. On the curved sides of the bowl are carved two figures, one holding two croziers and the other a small model of a building; there are also a flower scroll ornament, partly repaired, and a cross and dove wholly modern. The stem is octagonal with ball flowers on the faces and the base has a moulded octagonal sub-base". English Heritage Listing NGR: SO9569637423] (1959) reports: "The font has a C12 bowl carved with panels representing a priest, bishop, a Latin cross and dove and a scrolled foliated motif; the octagonal base is C14 and has a ballflower decoration." In Pevsner (1968): "Font. Of a steep goblet shape, Norman, with two standing figures (one holding a church) and a large symmetrical scroll panel. Nearly half the upper half is a re-doing of the C18 (?). This obscures the issue. The original parts may be of c.1150-60" [a footnote in Pevsner (ibid.) reads: "Mr. Stratford compares the foliage with the Gloucestershire lead fonts and the stone font at Coleshill (Warwickshire), which latter also has a similar figure"]. Brooks & Pevsner (2007) add: "original parts may be mid-C12 or earlier", but the fourth panel. "with dove and cross, seems entirely C17-C18". Described and illustrated in the CRSBI (2014), which concurs with the Norman period for the basin and the 14th century for the base, and points out that the figure on the south panel is nimbed.