Heathfield nr. Taunton

Noted in Jeboult (1873): "The old font was destroyed at the restoration of the church in 1841, and a very singular affair is now substituted." In Kelly's Directory of 1883: "the font is modern Perpendicular work". The community website for Oake, Hillcommon, Hillfarrance and Heathfield [http://www.oake.org.uk] informs: "The font of 1869 has been termed Modern Perpendicular. Before 1869, a marble font stood here (although marble fonts are not old); after 1869 the marble font was used as a garden urn at Heathfield Rectory – though we know its fate was to be sold in an antique shop in Staplegrove Road, Taunton! The oak cover has been subjected to a liming process and may belong to the previous marble font. The design of the original primitive font is unknown: it was removed in 1841." The Victorian font is octagonal all over, the sides of the basin decorated with floral motifs inscribed in quatrefoils. The wooden cover is octagonal and flat, contemporary with the font. [NB: the fabric of the church goes back to the 13th century; the font removed in 1841 [cf. supra] may have been the original]