Ashwell / Aiswell / Asewell / Ashewell / Ashwelle / Asewell / Ayswell / Exewelle / Exuuelle / Exwell / Exwelle

There are two entries for this Ashwell [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/SK8613/ashwell/] [accessed 15 July 2015], neither of which mentions cleric or church in it. A "pewter baptismal ewer" mentioned in Bond (1908) "which at one time has been gilt, was scheduled by Mr. R.C. Hope at Ashwell, Rutland." It had probably disappeared by Bond's time. [NB: the town's name in Bond's index appears spelled as "Askwell", but correctly spelled in the body of the text]. The Victoria County History (Rutland, vol. 2, 1935) notes: "The church is mainly of 13th and 14th century date, but has developed from a 12th-century building to which a north aisle appears to have been added c. 1190. [...] The font is modern, with octagonal stone bowl, in the style of the 14th century, given in 1851 by Viscountess Downe." Pevsner & Williamson (1984) note: "Font. 1851. Heavy, octagonal, with triangular gables and shafts at the angles. Tapering octagonal cover [...] by Butterfield" [i.e., William Butterfield (1814-1900)]. The present font is located at the west end of the nave. [NB: the fabric of the church goes back to the 12th century, but we have no information on the earlier font(s) of St Mary's]