Bayton / Baynton / Bayntune / Bedtona / Bertona / Betune / Beyton

There is an entry for Bayton [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SO6973/bayton/] [accessed 22 October 2014], but it mentions neither cleric nor church in it. Miller (1890) notes on the church: "There are a few features of Norman work still to be seen", but does not mention a font in it. The font here is described in Andrews (1912): "Fine font of the early period. Round the base of the bowl are two rows of rope-moulding, and the bowl itself is ornamented with intertwined strap-mouldings thickly studded with rows of pellets, the curves filled up with loops in the form of flowers. On the stem are zigzag panels and scalloped-shaped ornaments." The Victoria County History (Worcester, vol. 4, 1924) notes: "The walls of the nave and western portion of the chancel are probably of the 12th century, to which date the south doorway of the nave belongs. [...] The font is an extremely fine example of mid12th-century work. The bowl is circular, and measures about 2 ft. 10½ in diameter by 9 in. in depth. The side is enriched with a running strap ornament, carved with considerable elaboration, and below this is a heavy cable mould. The stem is also circular, diminishing slightly at the bottom, and is sculptured with formal foliage in low relief." In Pevsner (1968): "Drum-shaped, Norman, similar to the font at Rock. With beaded long scrolls and a rope-moulding. Short stem with long, ribbed leaves [fn: Mr Stratford compares with Linley in Shropshire and abaci at Leominster in Herefordshire]". Brooks & Pevsner (2007) add the font at Rock in Shropshire as cognate. Described and illustrated in the CRSBI (2014), where the damage is described: "on its N side at the rim, probably caused by the removal of an old locking lid; this seems to have led to the cutting down of the rim, thus losing the tops of the scrolls".