Nymet Rowland / Limet / Nymett-Rowland

There is an entry for Nymet [Rowland] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/SS7108/nymet-rowland/] [accessed 16 February 2024] but it mentions neither priest nor church in it. Listed in Lysons (1806-1822) as a baptismal font "among many of circular form and an early age, enriched with various carved mouldings, wreaths, scrolls, or foliage". Described and illustrated in Clarke (1913), who identifies a range of floral and foliage motifs on the basin sides, "a broad of fillet [...] rather suggesting wheat-ear ornament"; below the middle, "concentric half-circles [...], circles enclosing stars and the Greek cross, all incised". Clarke (ibid.) remarks on the difference in skill between some of the motifs: "The carved band is well executed, and the lozenges are fairly regular, but the flowers are evidently the work of an unskilful hand, and may have been added at a later date." [NB: at least one of the motifs is a large fleur-de-lis of later date]. Clarke further notes that the basin well is lead-lined, and that the octagonal plinth is modern. Pevsner (1952) notes: "Font. Norman, of cup shape, with cable and concentric semicircles as decoration on the shaft; the bowl completely plain" [NB: which it is not, unless the present incisions were made after Pevsner's ca. 1952 visit]. The Historic Churches Preservation Trust mentions an original font [...] stil in place" in this church [source: 'Recent Grants' issue of the Grants Cttee. Meeting of 28 September 2004, www.historicchurches.org.uk]. The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: SS7111208212] notes: "Parish church. C12 origins, late C15-early C16 tower and north aisle, some improvements associated with a 1636 datestone, restored by Halls of Dolton in 1889 [...] The Beerstone font is a Norman girdled tub. The girdle is enriched with a band of chevrons and below are incised semicircles between which are stars and crosses. Upon the bowl are inscribed rude representations of leaves and fleur-de-lys at irregular intervals; possibly secondary." The plinth is modern. There is no cover present but damage from the anchorings of an old cover are evident on the upper rim of the basin.