Hazelbury Bryan / Haselbury Bryan

During his visit to this church in October 1825, Glynne (1923) noted: "The font is octagonal on an octagonal pedestal, and is moulded with plain semi-circular arches." Hutchins (1861-1873) writes: "The font is octagonal, the bowl supported by pillars at each angle; the internal space beneath surrounded by the latter has apparently been filled up with masonry, at a later period. On each panel of the bowl are cut two shallow circular arches. The material is Purbeck marble." Noted in Long (1923) as a good example of "a considerable number of Early English fonts in this county [...] mostly of Purbeck marble, a fact which leads one to suppose that the majority were constructed in or near the Isle of Purbeck, and exported in considerable quantities to other parts of Dorset, and even much further afield. The type consists of an octagonal bowl, with shallow pointed arcading on the sides. The bowl is usually mounted on a thick central, and four or eight smaller detached angle shafts, standing on a low plain base." Mee (1939) notes: "The arcaded font is about 700 years old". Noted in Dru Drury (1949) as a baptismal font made of Purbeck marble. In Betjeman (1958): "13th century font with 18th century cover". In Newman & Pevsner (1972): "Font. Octagonal, C12, of Purbeck marble with two shallow arches on each side -- The font cover is late C17, simple and handsome." The octagonal basin rests on a central shaft and eight outer colonnettes, all of which raised on an octagonal lower base. The cover is octagonal and flat. In The Dorset Historic Churches Trust [http://dorsethistoricchurchestrust.co.uk/hazelbury_bryan.htm]. Listed in Leach (1975) as a font made of Purbeck marble.