Hurstpierpoint / Herst / Herstperpunt / Perpondesherst

Harrison (1920) writes: "Holy Trinity.. Built in 1845 on site of former church. Note : two fonts, one Nor[man] (not used) and a large circular one (restored)". The Victoria County History (Sussex, vol. 7, 1940) notes: "The advowson of Hurstpierpoint Rectory was held by Simon de Pierpoint in 1331 [...] It had been almost rebuilt by a rector, John Urry, about 1420 [...] The church was completely rebuilt from the designs of Sir Charles Berry in 1843–5, in 1854 [...] The font is probably of c. 1200, but the heavy round bowl has been reworked and painted; the stem is plain; the base has a late-12thor early-13th-century mould. Near by, a broken mortar, brought from a local farmyard, has been set on a stem and base as if to represent a font. The enclosure around the font has turned balusters and moulded handrail of the 18th century and may have been the former communion rails." Described and illustrated in the CRSBI (2008): "The font is located at the W[est] end of the S[outh] aisle. It has a tub shape with a smooth surface, stencilled with red and yellow baptism scenes in roundels. The thick rim is secondary: two rectangular mends below it are suggestive of repair following the removal of lock staples. The bowl itself has a horizontal break at mid-height. The shallow basin is lead lined. The stem and plinth probably date from 1863 [...] The 'mortar' (V.4.i) was retrieved from Little Park Farm at an unknown date. It was published by Walker, who identified it as a font and gave several bibliographic references for it. Her identification of it as a font seems to be based on the discovery of a similar piece under the floor of St Etheldreda's in London, which was described as a 'stoup' by Scott. Harrison also identified it as a font. A similar piece survives in Aldingbourne Church (W Sussex) [...] The font (V.1,i) probably dates from the 13thc. rather than the 12thc. The date of the 'mortar' is not known, but it is probably medieval." Baptismal font resembling a tub-shaped Norman design; the basin is round and has a flat moulding at the upper side, and a painted band of floral motif below; also painted is a larger band with roundels containing scenes; short and narrow circular stem, moulded lower base and quadrangular plinth [NB: the lower base of the font looks suspiciously unmatched [cf. supra], and it is not clear whether or not it is part of the original font; unlike the basin itself, it appears not to have been altered significantly. The pyramidal wooden cover, appears hexagonal, with painted sides; also modern.