Hawkhurst / Hauekehurst; / Haukhurst / Hauochesten / Hawkashyrst / Hawkherst

There is an entry for Hawhurst [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/TQ7630/hawkhurst/] [accessed 11 April 2019] but it mentions neither cleric nor church in it, though the overlords in 1066 were the canons of Dover St Martin's, who continued as 'tenants-in-chief' in 1086. The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent (Canterbury: W Bristow, 1798, vol. 7: 142-157) [www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol7/pp142-157#h3-0003] [accessed 11 April 2019] notes that the church "was founded by the abbot of Battel, in the reign of king Edward III" [i.e., 1327-1377], and mentions the baptismal font in it: "The font seems very antient, and has four shields of arms; first, A cross; second, A saltier; third, A chevron; and the fourth is hid against the pillar." Glynne (1877) writes: "The font is a fine Rectilinear one, of octagonal form, panelled alternately with shields and roses; the pedestal has buttresses at the angles." Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a noteworthy baptismal font of the Decorated period. Newman (1980), however: "Font. Perp[endicular] of the common octagonal type, with buttressed stem and roses and shields alternating on the bowl." A recent [2000] illustration by P.E. Blanche of this font shows that one of the roses, the one on the west side of the basin, is actually a Green Man, the smiley face in the centre of the flower [source: Kent Resources [www.digiserve.com/peter/hawk-sl.htm]]. John Vigar, in Kent Churches [www.kentchurches.info] notes "a huge font cover designed by Stephen Dykes Bower in 1960". The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: TQ7559529452] notes: "Parish church. C14 and mid C15, restored and extended 1849 by R C Carpenter, 1853-1859 by W Slater, and 1955-1957 [...] Octagonal Perpendicular font with shields and roses, with wooden font cover of 1960. " The Roughwood British Churches Album [http://www.roughwood.net/ChurchAlbum/Kent/Hawkhurst/HawkhurstStLaurence2004.htm] [accessed 13 February 2010] informs that the atll font cover was "a gift of a parishioner in 1962". Newman (1980) notes also the font at the other Hawkhurst church, All Saints', at Highgate: "Like a Buckinghamshire Norman font, but with Frenchy foliage." [NB: presumably ca. 1861 by Sir G.G. Scott, responsible for the 19th-century renovation of this church -- the latter font not included in this Index on account of its late date]