DERBYSHIRE FONTS. 163 



He also mentions the fact that the font in his day stood 

 on the floor, being destitute of either base-stone or steps. 

 This is now altered, and the font once more stands on these 

 customary additions. 



The bowl is round, but, where it approaches the beautiful 

 capitals to the central pillar, it is gathered in at intervals, 

 to correspond with the otherwise outstanding capitals. 



The ornament consists of a ver)- graceful ogee-shaped arcade 

 of two orders, and, in the intervals between each arcade and the 

 next, is a well-executed fleur-de-lys on a long stalk. 



The shaft consists of eight clustered columns, with beautifully 

 finished bases ; in fact, the whole thing is as beautiful an 

 example of Early English workmanship as can be imagined. 

 It is very simple and well proportioned, and is, in fact, a type 

 which might well be copied when a new font is required, for, 

 as it is, the modem font is a hideous erection, as a rule, of 

 glaring contrasts in coloured marbles and brass plates. 

 BRADLEY. Fig. 7. 



The original carver of the Bradley font has made a shockingly 

 bad attempt at copying the example at Ashbourne. 



The beautiful ogee-shaped arcade has here given place to 

 a terrible round-headed affair which is absolute ruination 

 to any gracefulness which the font might otherwise possess. A 

 similar arcade may be seen on the font at Irchester, Northants 

 The " fleurs " have been elaborately vulgarised in this font 

 at Bradley, no longer having the delicacy of those at Ashbourne. 



The absence of bases to the clustered shafts, which form the 

 stem of this font, is much to be deplored, as whatever beauty 

 there might have been is quite destroyed. 

 KNIVETON. Fig. 8. 



Here again is a font which one may safely surmise was 

 copied from that at Ashbourne, as it is of the same style, and 

 near that place. It has on the S.E. side the date 1663. 

 This obviously is not the date at which it was carved, being, 

 most probably, the date at which it was restored to the church 

 (the Norman font at Pentrich was similarly cut about the same 



