Pleasley

No entry for Pleasley found in the Domesday survey. Cox (1875) reports a font at the base of the tower: "It appears to be of modern construction, except, perhaps, the wide circular base." Noted in Bulmer's History, Topography, and Directory of Derbishire (1895: 99): "The font is inscribed 1662 but an older one stands in the vestry". Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the Transitional period [1150-1200] [NB: another font, dated 1661/1662, is listed elsewhere in this same source for the same locality -- there are two fonts in this church]. Noted in Pevsner (1978): "Font. Norman, circular, with seated figure. (Virgin?)". The entry for this church in Explore Churches [www.explorechurches.org/church/st-michael-pleasley] [accessed 11 October 2020] reports: "The unusual Norman font depicts a priest performing a baptism." The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: SK5042864572] notes: "Parish church. C12, C13, C14 and C19. [...] C12 font with figures carved in relief." The entry for this church in the Derbyshire Historic Environment Record [https://her.derbyshire.gov.uk/Monument/MDR6391] [accessed 11 October 2020] notes: "A medieval font was found in the rectory garden where it had served as a flower vase. It has been restored to its rightful place inside the church together with a newer font, at the base of which is incised the date 1662, suggesting that the medieval font was removed during the Civil War and that the church was without a font during the Commonwealth" [the entry gives "Unpublished document: Doncaster, R A (ed.). 1970. A History of Saint Michael's, Pleasley" as source]. Matthew Beresford's Pleasley Vale [http://www.mbarchaeology.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Pleasley-Vale-Journey-through-time.pdf] [accessed 11 October 2020] informs: "The old, carved stone font is thought to be Norman and of a similar date to the original church. The early style of carving depicts a priest performing a baptism, holding a cloth with a cross decoration in one hand and an aspergillum (water sprinkler) in the other. The style of his haircut appears to be Norman or it could just represent a priest’s tonsure, when the crown of the head is shaved, leaving a circle of hair around it. The figure, richly dressed in priest’s vestments is seated on a throne or priest’s chair, which is shown to one side. The priest is seated beneath an arch similar to the chancel arch in the church. The octagonal font is shaped from one block of stone, with flattened sides on the exterior to provide surfaces for carving. This may indicate a slightly later date as Norman fonts were generally square or tub shaped. Examples of octagonal fonts have been found as early as 1170, but this shape is more common from the13th century onwards. Only one side has been fully carved. A second side has another arch carved at the top, but the full panel was never completed. Undoubtedly, the font should have been carved on all sides, but something prevented this from happening. A newer font dated 1662 stands at the back of the church and this would have been installed following the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. Many original fonts were removed from churches at the start of the Commonwealth period (1649-1660) and new ones installed at the Restoration. St Michael’s old font was found in the Rectory garden in the 19thcentury, being used as a flower tub and has since been restored to the church. The later font stands on an earlier base, which could have held the original font. It is perhaps surprising that such a simple, relatively small church should have such a finely carved font." The octagonal basin is much damaged and may indeed be an unfiniched work, as only one side is fully carved, one other is started and the others are blank, not re-cut, nor re-carved; the priestly figure appears to support a round object on the palm of his hand; not necessarily baptism.