Llanyblodwel

The National Gazetteer of 1868 reports "a Norman font" in this church, as does Wilson's (1870-1872). It is noted in Tyrrell-Green (1928) as "a curious example of early octagonal diapered font". Newman & Pevsner (2006), howver, attribute it to the Victorian vicar responsible for the 1846-1856 rebuilding of the earlier church: "Font. Octagonal, with simple geometrical ornament and sparse blobs. An attempt at Neo-Norman surely by Parker". The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: SJ2394222893], however, notes: "Parish church. Largely rebuilt by Revd. John Parker in 1847-53 with steeple of 1855-6, incorporating substantial parts of medieval church, dating principally from C12 and C15 [...] Octagonal font with painted carved decoration said to be c.1660 but may be a medieval font recut; rests on possibly C12 scalloped base." The font is illustrated in a 6 September 2000 digital photograph by John Salmon [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2243581] [accessed 2 July 2025]. The entry for this church in the CRSBI [https://www.crsbi.ac.uk/view-item?i=3426] [accessed 2 July 2025] notes: "The S nave doorway, under Parker's porch, is 12thc and the font may well be too, although this is a matter of dispute" and proceeds to illustrate and give full details of the font: "The font sands to the E of the S nave doorway and has an octagonal tub-shaped bowl decorated with oversized chip-carved decoration in 3 registers. At the top of each face is a heavy semicircular frame enclosing 3 deeply recess compartments; 2 shields at the top and a cuved triangle below and between them. Below this the straight bottomed compartment is divided into 3 chip-carved triangles and beolw them the entrie bowl is encircled by a beaded band. At the lowest level, each face has a chip-carved saltire with beaded arms. Every chip carved compartment on the font contains a small pellet at its centre. There are traces of blue and red paint on the bowl. It stands on a large, worn octoscallop capital serving as a base. The bowl is lead lined and has inserted rim repairs at SW and W. The base is certainly a genuine 12thc scalloped capital, and the font, despite its unusual appearance, must be medieval in origin since there are signs on the rim that it once had a lock. The oversized chip-carving could well be a later modification, however."