Weston / Weston-near-Spalding

There are two entries for this Weston [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/TF2925/weston/] [accessed 27 January 2019], neither of which mentions cleric or church in it. Simpson (1828): "The high relief given to the foliage on this Font, together with its general design, incline us to place its date in the reign of Henry the Third [i.e., 1216-1272]. The absence of bases to the columns at first induced us to believe that the Font had undergone mutilation, but as the lower part of each column is very neatly finished, and the subject is otherwise in good preservation, we cannot positively assert that it is imperfect. The material is Barnack stone." Paley (1844) describes the font at Weston as a "beautiful specimen of the Early English style". The basin is cylindrical but its side is divided into eight parts by plain round columns with bell capitals; each of the basin sides has foliage ornamentation "of good design, and in very bold relief" (ibid.) The cylindrical base appears plain except for two torus towards the lower part. The plinth consists of two steps on the one side, the other half acting as the minister's stand. Described and illustrated in Brandon (1849). Listed in Cox-Harvey (1907) and in Tyrrell-Green as Early English. Newman (1980) notes that the baptismal font at Rusthall St Paul's, in Kent, is a 19th-century copy of this font. Noted in Pevsner, Harris and Antram (1989): "A large and stately E[arly] E[nglish] piece, Circular, with eight shafts, and in each field a stiff-leaf 'tree of life'. Unusual arrangement of the steps. The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: TF2924725164] notes: "Parish church. 1170, mid C14, restored by G. G. Scott in 1858- 67, and J. L. Pearson in 1885-6. [...] Clerestory of c.1170, heavily restored by Pearson in 1885 [...] North side of chancel of c.1175 with 3 tall lancets alternating with 2 stage buttresses. [...] Gabled late C12 porch [...] 5 bay north and south late C12 arcades with the north-west bay blocked [...] Early C13 pointed chancel arch [...] C11 inscribed coffin lid restored in C20. [...] Drum font of c.1200 with semi-circular shafts with moulded capitals supporting it, and 8 sides of drum articulated by 8 attached shafts." " [NB: Allen (1833) reports "an octagonal font" inside Wykeham Chapel; the Chapel was built, informs Allen (ibid.) in 1292-1293, but he does note give any date for the font. The present chapel is dedicated to St. Nicholas. Not known whether there is a font still in it]