Brendon

Described in Clarke (1921) as "the connecting link between the subdivided cushion [scalloped] and the plain square bowls on a single shaft, of which Devon possesses a few. The sides of the bowl form a square, and at the point where the bowl may be said to terminate is an incised horizontal line, as in the subdivided cushion bowls of Molland, Wear Gifford, and Halberton [cf. Index entries]; below thew groove instead of cones as in these fonts is a flat arrangement of quasi-classical curves, at the centre of each side; on the south is one rounded petal only; on the west there have been two, but one has partially disappeared, and three scallops have been cut farther back in the thickness of the stone. This attempt at restoration seems to be recent; it is needless, and quite unsuccessfull; it looks as though the scallops were ashamed of themselves, and were hiding behind one another. Behind and below the scrolls the stone is roughly worked off to join the shaft. The bowl itself is quite plain except for axe markings [...] The opening of the bowl is square, and it has it old lead lining. There are neatly drilled holes for cover staples on all sides but the east, where they are filled up with lead. The cylindrical shaft is made of two courses of dressed stone; no doubt the original stone, but if so it has been retooled so that it looks quite modern. The base is square with a sloping chamfer, on an octagonal plinth. There are two cracks: one on the north, and one on the east face, but the font seems to be sound. The stone is North Devon grit of very fine grain, grey in colour, but mottled with large patches of red, green, and brown, which produce a remarkably good colour effect. The stone was evidently obtained close at hand [...]" Described in Pevsner (1952): "Font. Square, Norman, with curved lines towards the bottom of the bowl, a diagrammatical interpretation of the scallops of such fonts as Ilfracombe."