Ballidon / Belidene

There is an entry for Ballidon in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/SK2054/ballidon/] [accessed 17 January 2020] but it mentions neither cleric nor church in it. Lewis (1848) notes "a curious font" in this church. Cox (1875-1877) writes: "The font is in the chancel, and is built in, as it were, into the pavement behind the south jamb of the chancel arch. It stands three feet in height, and is two feet six in diameter. The diameter of the bowl, from which the lead has been taken, is twenty-two incges, and about a foot in depth. The font is of octagona shape, and both the upper panels and the base are carved with various figures and designs, but they are much choked up with plaster and whitewash." Noted in Kelly's Directory of 1881: "the font, placed in the chancel, is built into the pavement behind the south jamb of the chancel arch, and is an octagon, both the upper panels and the base being carved with various figures and designs, but much choked up with plaster and whitewash". Noted in Pevsner (1978): "Font. Perp[endicular], octagonal, with simple shields, tracery motifs, etc., but, most strangely, the majority of them upside down." The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: SK2038554436] notes: "Church. C12, but almost entirely rebuilt in 1882. [...] South porch entrance and south doorway in the Norman style, the doorway is much restored C12. [...] Perp font with crude incised decoration." The Derbyshire Churches and Chapels site [http://www.derbyshirechurches.org.uk/MATLOCK.HTM] [accessed 1 July 2008] notes: "The C15 octagonal font is curious in having many of its decorative items upside down". It is indeed an odd piece, looking more like a made-up object not following any particular tradition or trend. Is it really Perpendicular? Francis (2003) [www.parwichhistory.com/Issue%2013.htm] [accessed 18 October 2009] writes: "Take the font for example. Pev[e]sner claims that it is perpendicular but a close look suggests to me that the rich but rough carvings are more Norman in character, some carved strangely upside down. There is the face of a bridled animal, a fish, a man holding what looks to be a writing tablet as well as numerous other more abstract tracery and motifs. One suggestion given for this speculates that perhaps the font started life as the base for a cross that was subsequently upended and remodelled into a font. It remains relatively undamaged and the question has to be asked how it survived the reformation when most similar local fonts and crosses disappeared. (The Bradbourne cross for example, or Tissington and Alsop fonts). Charles Cox describes various figures and designs on the font but is unable to make them out clearly because ‘they are much choked up with plaster and whitewash’. Since Cox saw the font it has obviously been extensively renovated as there is no lack of clarity with the carvings. It is possible that during the reformation, instead of physically removing the font or destroying it, the carvings were submerged beneath a thick layer of plaster and whitewash that kept them hidden well into the 19th and possibly 20th century." The entry for this church in the Friends of Friendless Churches [http://friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/ballidon-church-vested-with-the-friends/] [accessed 17 January 2020] sums up the general view of this font: "All Saints’, Ballidon is a church of puzzles [...] The font is roughly-hewn and roughly dates to the 14th century, but the truth is, it’s so odd – with its upside-down panels – it could be earlier or later. It really is anyone’s guess!"