Ousden / Owsden

Noted in Parker (1855) as a good font of the Perpendicular period, "octagonal, and unusually tall". The Bansfield Benefice web pages [http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/ousden/history/interior.html] [accessed 4 November 2009] note: "The octagonal font (which is situated near the entrance […]) is a fine piece of late 14th century craftsmanship. Its design is unusual for Suffolk. The slender stem has eight circular engaged shafts, which radiate outwards to support the bowl. In the panels of the bowl are carved traceried patterns, with eight different designs, mostly based upon quatrefoils, two of which contain blank shields". [NB: the church fabric goes back to Norman times, but we have no information on the original font of this church]