Beoley / Beleg / Beoleahe / Beolege / Boeley / Boleye / Brokeleigh / Buley

There is an entry for Beoley [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SP0669/beoley/] [accessed 2 October 2014], but it mentions neither cleric nor church in it. Miller (1890) notes: "The font is probably Norman, being circular and ornamented with carving/" The font here is described in Andrews (1912): "the font is curiously adorned, the under side of the bowl being carved into four women's heads, joined by longs bands of hair." The Victoria County History (Worcester, vol. 4, 1924) notes: "The abbey of Alcester, which was founded in 1140 by Ralph Boteler, received a grant of this church from Geoffrey de Limesi and his mother Hawise, and it was confirmed to them by Henry II. [...] he nave and the western half of the chancel were built during the early part of the 12th century [...] The font is circular, cut out of a light sandstone, and dates from the early part of the 13th century. The surface of its bowl is relieved by four female heads with hair plaited in two strands which meet and overlap between the heads. The circular shaft has a moulded base standing on an octagonal pedestal which is now flush with the floor level." In Pevsner (1968). In Hartwell & Pevsner (2007): "Round, said to be C12 or C13, but the decoration at least could be C17: four big female heads on the underside, linked by the flowing tresses of their hair, rather liike swags. Nice cover with gilded dove on the underside, by Robert Pancheri, 1948." Noted and illustrated in the CRSBI (2014), with reference to the VCH and Pevsner above: "VCH dates the font to the early part of the 13thc. but Pevsner is uncertain and wonders if it could possibly be 12thc. The style of the carving, especially in its smooth 'sanded' finish, should be compared with sculpture at Bretforton and the base of the font at Elmley Castle, both of which may be early 13thc."