Hurley / Harleyghe / Herlei / Herleia / Herleya / Hertley / Hurle / Hurleg / Hurleia / Hurlye

There is an entry for Hurley [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SU8283/hurley/] [accessed 19 March 2015]; it mentions a church in it. This font is noted in a 6 June 1839 letter from 'Plantagenet' to the editor of The Gentleman's Magazine (issue of July 1839: 27); it locates the font by the baptistery pew, under the north gallery [cf. infra] and describes it thus: "The font is lined with lead, and has the usual hole at bottom for conveying out the water after administration of the rite, or at most every seven days by a channel through the pedestal of shaft, into the ground. On its leaden rim, the marks of two iron staples still attest that it had formerly a cover, which was no doubt reverently locked down, that its contents should not be employed for any purposes of sorcery or wichcraft. Immediately above the font is a large ring inserted into the under part of the gallery, from which the cover was suspended by a cord and pulley, when the font was used, a circumstance which makes it not unlikely that the cover was massive, and handsomely carved." Described and illustrated in Paley (1844): octagonal unmounted font of rather uncommon design for the late 15th century Perpendicular style; it appears to be of one piece; the sides are ornamented with a blind arcade of eight trefoil arches framed on the sides by buttresses and having a smaller version of the same arch in the left and right spandrels. Described in Brandon (1849) as "a simple octagonal block, tapering downwards, with panelled sides, and buttresses at the angles". Described in Wethered (1898) and (1918): "The Perpendicular period is now represented by a eddish compact sandstone font, probably of the end of the fourteenth or commencement of the fifteenth century. It is tub-shaped and panelled, and is engraved in Van Voorst's of the celebrated fonts of England [i.e., Paley (1844)] as being of an uncommon type. At the time when the Editor published his book (1844), it stood (dimensions 2 ft. 9 ins. high ; 2 ft. 8 ins. across the top) near the south door in a Baptistery pew on the north side of the nave. It was, then, painted (!) The circumference and depth of the font-basin makes it clear that it was originally intended for Baptism by immersion. It is now raised on a stone pedestal, and stands on the south side of the nave close to the large south door of the church leading into the churchyard." Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a massive octagonal baptismal font of the 15th century. The Victoria County History (Berkshire, vol. 3, 1923) notes: "The church at Hurley is mentioned in the Domesday Survey. [...] The present building, with the exception of the 15th-century bell-turret, dates from the latter part of the 12th century. In 1852 an extensive restoration was undertaken [...] The fine octagonal font is of early 15th-century date. It tapers towards the bottom, and the sides have traceried panelling with small buttresses at the angles."