Aston nr. Rotherham / Aston-cum-Aughton / Estone / Hactone

There are two entries for this Aston [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/SK4685/aston/] [accessed 25 September 2018] one of which, in the lordship of Leofsi in 1066, reports a priest and a church in it. An early recorded mention of the font here appeared in an article entitled "A walk to Aston", published in The Northern Star or Yorkshire Magazine (issue no. 19, December 1818): "The font appears antique, and its cavity sufficiently capacious for the purpose of immersion in baptism." The font here is noted in Glynne's visit of 13 April 1860 (in Butler, 2007): "The font is a very fine one, of Perpendicular character; the bowl octagonal, has a battlement along the top, and is panelled with quatrefoils and wavy wheels. At the base is the figure of a king sitiing with spear in his hand, and on the opposite corner an angel; said to be Herod lying in wait for our Saviour, and an angel watching." Noted in Armitage (1905). Described in Cox & Harvey (1907) as an exceptionally fine example of 15th cent. font; panels have quatrefoils alternating with wavy wheels or roundels; at the base a figure of a seated king holding a spear; on the opposite side, an angel. Noted in Mee (1941): "a finr 15th century font remarkable for two quaint carvings at the base --a fierce-looking man with a spear and an angel with a scroll. It has been thought to represent Herod lurking in readiness to kill the Child of Bethlehem." Described and illustrated in Pevsner (1986 c1967): "Font. Early Perp[endicular], with tracery motifs and battlements. Against the foot the unexpected seated figure of a little man with a sword. What is its meaning?" An added footnote in Pevsner (Ibid.) reads: "The Rev. G. Kirk suggests that the figure may be connected with the slaying of the Holy Innocents." The entry for this church in Historic England [IoE Number: 335876] reads: " Font[s] late C14; with part of base cut away and with reclining man carved at the foot (Pevsner, plate 29), castellated top with tracery motifs". The entry for this church in All Saints Aston-cum-Aughton [http://allsaintsaston.com/?page_id=29] [accessed 25 September 2018] notes: "The font dates from about 1400. It was moved from under the tower to its present location in 1957. The carved figures on the base are thought to represent King Herod, intent on killing the baby Jesus and a guardian angel warning Joseph to flee with the Holy Infant to Egypt." The font is also described in Mary E, Layne's The Story of the Church of All Saints, Aston, in the Diocese of Sheffield (1950), newly edited by P. Newbold in 2001 [www.j31.co.uk/astonchurhistbook.htm] [accessed 25 September 2018]: "an old Perpendicular octagonal font bearing on its base the figure of King Herod, spear in hand, lying in wait for the Infant Christ. On the opposite side is a watching angel." [NB: the lower half of the font has been 'trimmed off" drastically, losing thereby whatever was to the right of the armed figure].