Great Bealings – St. Mary’s Church (Font)

As I don’t get out much, I’m always intrigued to see an old font in a church, just because of the considerable heritage that they so often have. This one is likely to date from the thirteenth century, a relatively simple octagonal bowl with recessed arches on the sides and made from Purbeck marble.

The circular shaft, with its eight supporting columns, is likely to have been added later. I accept that getting excited about a bit of old stone in a church might seem excessive, but it’s where children were being baptised 800 years ago and that continuity of history does seem remarkable. I like things that are enduring and this has survived through centuries of societal change, conflict and renewal. And that’s not to mention that this font was initially designed for a Catholic Church, but here we are generations later with the font being used for Protestant services. It’s also likely the font where John Carver was baptised.