Llanfihangel Ystrad / Llanvihangel Ystrad / Ystrad Aeron

The entry for this parish in Meyrick (1808) notes: "The font is square, with a square excavation to contain the holy water, and is somewhat ornamented underneath. It is supported on a short round column standing on one step." Lewis's Dictionary of 1833 and 1849 report: "the font is quadrangular, and is placed on a short round column". The National Gazetteer of 1868 reports "an antique font" in this church. Noted in Tyrrell-Green (1928) in a list of mostly Welsh fonts consisting of a square basin decorated with scallop motif (includes one from Bristol St Philip's and another from Thornbury, Gloucs., both bordering with Wales). The entry for this church in COFLEIN [https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/420296/details/st-michaels-church-llanfihangel-ystrad] [accessed 22 January 2020] notes: "The church was not a parish church during the post-conquest period, but a chapelry of the Deanery of Sub-Aeron. [...] By 1833 Llanfihangel Ystrad had become a parish [...] The medieval church survived until 1877. The current square, scalloped font with cylindrical stem dates from the twelfth century. [...] The church was entirely rebuilt in 1877-1878, on the same site and in the same location as its predecessor but retaining nothing from the earlier fabric." Listed by Lord (2003) as one of about twenty square fonts produced by a north-Devon workshop [NB: Lord cites Robert Boak's unpublished research as source for the workshop identification, but mentions that this font is not noted by Boak]. The decoration of these fonts consists chiefly of scallop and/or foliage motifs, but this one is described as "of the triple scalloped type". Listed in Thurlby (2006) as one of several "table-top fonts with scalloped undersides in Cardiganshire" [including: Llanfihangel Ystrad, Mynt, Penbryn, Sarnau, Tremain]; this particular one "square with three scallops on each side supported on a stem". Tim Palmer informs BSI [e-mail comunication of 17 March 2010] that the inner basin well has been filled with cement to leave a small shallow space for the baptismal water. Palmer (ibid.) also notes that the 'dart' motif that was part of the decoration has been chiselled off this font. The square basin stands now [June 2009] on a cylindical pedestal, a square lower base and an octagonal plinth, the latter a modern addition. The font cover, square and flat, with metal decorations and ring handle, is modern.