Font

The National Monuments Service's description

In the SW corner of the chancel of St Mary's medieval parish church (KK026-010012-), Callan. A square limestone font (total H including supports and pedestal 1m; font H 0.37m; Wth 0.84m) with a circular basin and central drain hole. There are nine Gothic flutes on each side and one bevelling at each angle (Pike 1989, 576-7). The font rests on a wide central column, with four slender columns under each angle, all on a square pedestal with chamfered angles.
This font is one of a series of similarly decorated fonts, described by Pike as the Ossory Fonts (ibid. 572-82). According to Pike the fonts decorated with rounded flutes are the earliest examples, probably dating from the 12th century, while those decorated with pointed (Gothic) flutes, such as that at Callan, are about a century later in date (ibid. 572-3).

See attached photograph:
KK026-010013-_01 From E (Urban Archaeological Survey, October 1992)

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 29 June 2022

References

Pike, H.K.J. 1989 Medieval fonts. Old Kilkenny Review 4, no. 1, 572-82, 597-8.