Halesowen No. 1 / Hala / Halam / Hales / Hales Owen / Hales Regis / Halesoweyn / Halysoweyn

There is an entry for Halesowen [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SO9683/halesowen/] [accessed 17 September 2014], and it mentions two priests but no church in it. The font here is described and illustrated in Neale (1825): "font […] undoubtedly of very considerable antiquity, being of sufficient magnitude for immersion […] This very ancient font is elevated on a broad basement, upon which, in the centre, is a circular pedestal, and four short thick columns, supporting the bason, or font, itself, which is octagonal, that is, having four larger and four smaller faces on its sides; the latter have been ornamented with whole-length figures boldly sculpted, which, as well as the principal, or larger sides of the font, are much mutilated, so as to render it extremely difficult for the artist to give the detail in his representation, owing to the ravages of time, and the destruction caused by wantonness. The columns which support the font have capitals of similar font to those of the pillars of the body of the church at the west end […] a most interesting specimen of Anglo-Norman sculpture". A font is reported in Hales Owen, Shropshire, in Tymms (1834). A Norman font in this church is mentioned in the 1845 Post Office Directory for Birmingham, Warwickshire and part of Staffordshire. Miller (1890) reports the church restored by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1872-1875, and mentions the font as a good specimen of Norman work. Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the Norman period. Described in Andrews (1912): "Norman font [...] of a later type, of which the bowl is supported by a central column with four or more smaller columns around it; in this instance there are four; the bowl is circular, and it and the columns are enriched with interlaced work; and since the four outer columns reach as high as the top of the bowl the whole has a square appearance." English Heritage [Listing NGR: SO9663683585] (1950) reports "an excellent Norman font" here. Described and illustrated in Jones ([1950?]). [NB: this design of font is quite common in the Cornish and Devon types -as pointed out in Pevsner (1968), where the date 1150-1160 is suggested- of which there are several examples listed in this Index]. Described and illustrated in the CRSBI (2014). The font is rather weathered, showing some repairs [at least one of the outer supports of the base, the NE column, is a modern replacement]. Stands on a quadrangular plinth of rounded edges. Flat wooden cover with metal reinforcements and handle; probably modern.