Norman Font - Shotteswell Warwickshire

1080 to 1130

This substantial Norman font consists of a deep, cylindrical bowl carved from a single block of pale limestone, its massive wall thickness characteristic of 11th–12th-century English baptismal vessels intended to hold a significant volume of water. The exterior remains undecorated except for toolmarks and age-related fissures, consistent with the plain, functional aesthetic of early Romanesque fonts in the region.

The bowl is supported on four legs, two of which are authentic Norman balusters—short, turned shafts with bulbous central swelling—while the other two legs are later replacements, sympathetically shaped but clearly differentiated by their simpler profiles. This mixed support arrangement likely reflects medieval or post-medieval repairs to stabilise the heavy basin.

The entire structure stands on a broad, stepped circular plinth, itself Romanesque in form, giving the font a stable and monumental presence at the west end of the nave. The proportions, material, and baluster supports align closely with other early Norman fonts in the Midlands, many of which combine massive tubs with architectural column forms.

The present wooden lid with metal strapwork is modern and functional rather than historic.