Astley / Aestlaeh / Astele / Astlega / Astleye / Eslei / Estlega / Estlei / Heseleia

There is entry for this Astley [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SO7867/astley/] [accessed 17 July 2014]; it reports a priest and a church in it; this often means that the church existed before the Conquest. A baptismal font here is noted in Tymms (1834) as being decorated "with Norman ornaments". Miller (1890) reports: "The font is octagonal, probably 14th century." The Victoria County History (Worcester, vol. 4, 1924) notes on this church: "The chancel and nave were built towards the end of the first half of the 12th century, a north aisle, since rebuilt, was added c. 1180, while the tower and north chapel date from the 15th century, when the chancel was probably lengthened eastwards"; and on the font: "The sandstone font dates from the 12th century; its bowl, which has a cauldron-like outline, is octagonal, and has two round-headed panels on each side divided by large beads, those at the angles being continued down the stem, which is also octagonal and has plain panels. The upper edge of the bowl is moulded. The base, which has a plain chamfered upper edge, is probably of later date." Pevsner (1968), however: "Very odd and certainly not Norman, as the VCH says. The eight sides have each a big rising tulip petal, as it were, is the top is heavily moulded. It is probably Perp[endicular], though unusual." Ditto in Brooks & Pevsner (2007).