2014

SP8822 : Wing - All Saints - "Aylesbury" font lunette

taken 10 years ago, near to Wing, Buckinghamshire, England

Wing - All Saints - "Aylesbury" font lunette
Wing - All Saints - "Aylesbury" font lunette
A detail view of one of the lunettes (semi-circular cushion-like ornamentations) at the base of the "Aylesbury" font in the South Porch of All Saints, Wing. The base is indeed all that remains of this particular font. See SP8822 : Wing - All Saints - Base of former Aylesbury font for more details, and refer to the shared descriptions below.
"Aylesbury" Fonts

There are thought to be 22 (or 23) so-called "Aylesbury" fonts to be found in the three adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire (17 fonts + 1 base), Bedfordshire (3) and Northamptonshire (2).
There is a separate shared description about the churches that house these fonts here Link

Note: The number of these fonts is reckoned as either 22 or 23 as the example at Wing retains only its base.

The fonts get their name from the example at St Mary's church in Aylesbury - the name probably being selected for three reasons - that Aylesbury is by far the biggest and most well-known town; that the example there is a particularly good one; and finally that Aylesbury is reasonably central to the area where they are found.
They date from around the end of the C12th making them about 800 years old - though a few have been re-cut at a later date, and the example at Wing retains only its base. Also the Dinton font is thought to be of a somewhat later date.
The finest four examples are considered to be the ones at Aylesbury, Great Kimble, Houghton Regis and Weston Turville.
It is thought that the craftsmen responsible for their carving probably worked - or were trained - at St Albans Abbey, as carvings at that cathedral, notably on a late C12th doorway, resemble some of the carvings found on the fonts.
The general shape of the fonts is a circular-rimmed chalice-like bowl joined to its base by a band, often carved as a rope. The bases fall mainly into two categories, either simple and circular, or square with each face having one or two semicircular carved panels {curves upwards} known as "lunettes" or "cushions". This square base with either one or two "lunettes" is the main style to be found among the fonts, and other bases may therefore not be original. For example, the base of the Old Linslade font is octagonal and is I think of a considerably later date.
Most bowls have a frieze running below their rims - these vary dramatically in complexity from simple geometric designs to depictions of flowers and animals.
In many cases, the fonts are older than the churches which house them, as many churches were substantially rebuilt in the C13th - C15th and others such as Saunderton have had disasters befall them at a later date. One notable exception is the gem of a church at Little Missenden, the core of which dates from Saxon times.
The stone from which the fonts were made was quarried at Totternhoe and is an unusually hard variety of chalk, itself a form of limestone. This white stone was much employed in the area, in particular as the white squares alternating with dark flint squares in the chequerboard designs seen on many local churches.
The two Northamptonshire fonts (Duston and Eydon) though considered "Aylesbury" fonts may just be coincidentally similar, as they are actually both quite different to the main style and are geographically quite separate.
An Alphabetical list of the 22 fonts (and one base) with some notes follows: (All are in Bucks unless otherwise stated)
Aylesbury - St Mary's - Fine example after which others are named. Square base with double semicircles.
Barton-le-Clay, Beds - St Nicholas - Recut in C15th. Only rope moulding original.
Bledlow - Holy Trinity - Probably a local copy of Great Kimble font. Square base with double semicircles.
Buckland - All Saints - Cracked but original. Circular base.
Chearsley - St Nicholas - Octagonal shaft (?original). Circular base.
Chenies - St Michael - Re-cut (c.C15th). Square base. Single unadorned semicircles. Rope tracery.
Dinton - SS Peter & Paul - Later example. Circular base.
Duston, Nhants - St Luke - Quite plain compared with others. Geographical outlier.
Eydon, Nhants - St Nicholas - Unusual octagonal base - different style. Geographical outlier.
Flitwick, Beds - SS Peter & Paul - Somewhat cracked. Quite plain.
Great Hampden - St Mary Magdalen - Fairly plain. Circular base. Church on bridleway not road.
Great Kimble - St Nicholas - Fine example. Some paint fragments (?age). Square base with double semicircles.
Great Missenden - SS Peter & Paul - Octagonal rather than circular rim to "cup". Square base with single semicircles.
Haddenham - St Mary the Virgin - Unusual dragon ornamentation. Base replaced.
Houghton Regis, Beds - All Saints - Fine example. Celtic-style ornamentation. Square base with single plain semicircles.
Little Missenden - St John the Baptist - Good example in beautiful old church. Square base with single semicircles with fleur-de-lys decoration.
Ludgershall - St Mary the Virgin - Rather squat version. Quite worn. Geographically somewhat distant.
Monks Risborough - St Dunstans - Good example in bright airy church with other interest. Circular base.
Old Linslade, Beds* - St Mary's - Unusual animal carvings below rim. Somewhat cracked.
Pitstone - St Mary the Virgin - Apparently Re-cut (C15th?). Circular base (on square plinth). Redundant church in care of CCF.
Saunderton - SS Mary & Nicholas - Church C19th after C12th church destroyed by fire. Font somewhat damaged. Circular base.
Weston Turville - St Mary the Virgin - Fine example. Square base with single semicircles with acanthus style decoration.
Wing - All Saints - Only base remains. Church dating back to Saxon period with famous Saxon crypt.
*(Old Linslade used to be in Bucks)

All Saints, Wing

The church of All Saints in Wing dates back to the 9th century, and much of the surviving structure is of Saxon origin. This makes it one of the oldest extant buildings in Britain.
The oldest part of this remarkable church is the crypt beneath the slightly later apsidal chancel. According to Pevsner (Buildings of England:Buckinghamshire) this crypt is probably of the C9th. The EH (Grade I) listing LinkExternal link states of the church "Originally C10 with nave, N. aisle, chancel and crypt surviving from this period. Probably built for Aelfgifa, sister-in-law to King Eadgar."
North and South Aisles were added (or remodelled) in the C14th and C15th, though the north wall of the North Aisle is also of Saxon origin. The Tower and South Porch were added in the C15th, and a North Porch added in more modern times (Victorian probably). There is a helpful plan of the church here LinkExternal link
See also the VCH write-up here LinkExternal link
The Church of England's own page about the church can be seen here LinkExternal link
Parish website LinkExternal link

Churches housing "Aylesbury" Fonts

Note there is a separate Shared Description for the fonts themselves Link
This is a photo-linking snippet about the churches that house them.
Note: The number of these fonts is reckoned as either 22 or 23 as the example at Wing retains only its base.

The following 23 churches contain "Aylesbury" fonts - though the final one (at Wing) retains only its base.

Aylesbury, Bucks - St Mary's - C13th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Barton-le-Clay, Beds - St Nicholas - C12th-15th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Bledlow, Bucks - Holy Trinity - C12th-13th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link
Information and photos of the church (local parish website) LinkExternal link

Buckland, Bucks - All Saints - C13th-16th - EH Grade II* LinkExternal link Church websites LinkExternal link and LinkExternal link

Chearsley, Bucks - St Nicholas - C12th-13th - EH Grade II* LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Chenies, Bucks - St Michael - C15th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link Attached to the church is the Bedford Chapel LinkExternal link the family mausoleum of the Russell family, Dukes of Bedford. It is not normally open to the public.

Dinton, Bucks - SS Peter & Paul - C12th-15th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Duston, Nhants - St Luke - C12th-14th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Eydon, Nhants - St Nicholas - C13th-14th - EH Grade II* LinkExternal link (with 14 other listed monuments etc in is churchyard) Church website LinkExternal link

Flitwick, Beds - SS Peter & Paul - C12th,14th & 16th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Great Hampden, Bucks - St Mary Magdalen - C13th-15th - EH Grade II* LinkExternal link Church on bridleway not road. Church website LinkExternal link
Adjacent to magnificent Hampden House ( Grade I LinkExternal link )

Great Kimble, Bucks - St Nicholas - C13th-14th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Victoria Histories entry LinkExternal link Church website (minimal) LinkExternal link

Great Missenden, Bucks - SS Peter & Paul - C14th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Haddenham, Bucks - St Mary the Virgin - C12th-13th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Houghton Regis, Beds - All Saints - C14th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Little Missenden - St John the Baptist - C10th-14th (Saxon core) - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Ludgershall - St Mary the Virgin - C14-15th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Monks Risborough - St Dunstans - C14th-15th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Old Linslade, Beds* - St Mary's - C12th,14th&15th (Norman core) - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Pitstone - St Mary the Virgin - C13th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Redundant church in care of CCT LinkExternal link

Saunderton - SS Mary & Nicholas - C19th after C12th-14th church destroyed by fire. - EH Grade II* LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Weston Turville - St Mary the Virgin - C13th-15th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church website LinkExternal link

Wing - All Saints - (Only base remains) - C10th - EH Grade I LinkExternal link Church dating back to Saxon period with famous Saxon crypt. Church website LinkExternal link

*(Old Linslade used to be in Bucks)


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Historic sites and artefacts Village, Rural settlement Religious sites Place: Wing Primary Subject: Font other tags: Grade I Listed Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · South Porch [3] Other Photos: · Wing - All Saints - Base of former Aylesbury font ·
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SP8822, 184 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Rob Farrow   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Thursday, 11 September, 2014   (more nearby)
Submitted
Thursday, 13 November, 2014
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SP 8802 2257 [10m precision]
WGS84: 51:53.6844N 0:43.3363W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SP 8802 2257
View Direction
East-northeast (about 67 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Supplemental image
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