In eastern-most arch of sedilia at south-west end of nave

Discovered during clearance of church prior to restoration of 1860-2 by G. G. Scott, deposited with other fragments in south-west angle of tower

St Mary in Castro

Face, angles, and mouldings very heavily bruised

Only the middle portion of the shaft survives. It is longitudinally split, with only a third of the original circumference surviving. Encircling the middle of the shaft is a group of three prominent roll mouldings, heavily damaged and partially broken away. To either side of this the shaft narrows in a deep curve with a shallow roll moulding beyond. To each side the shaft then tapers and is undecorated. It is dressed roughly flat at either end.

Puckle records the discovery of 'perhaps a score' of baluster fragments deposited in the south-west angle of the tower. This one is not among the three which he illustrates (Puckle 1864, 68–71, figs. facing 70 and 72), nor is it one of the four illustrated by Baldwin Brown (Ills. 71–4). A selection of the balusters (not including the present example) were transferred to Dover Museum at some time, where they were destroyed by bombing during the Second World War (see no. 3).

Much of the surviving fabric of St Mary in Castro is late Anglo-Saxon in date, and it is possible that this and others of the surviving or recorded baluster fragments derive from lost belfry openings to the central tower. Several of the fragments had been reused as early Gothic vault ribs, and it is possible that the belfry stage of the tower was modified when the stone vault was added to the tower and chancel c. 1190 (Newman 1976, 287). Certainly the majority of late Anglo-Saxon balusters which remain in situ are in belfry windows. Scott, however, reconstructed pairs of round-headed openings in each face when he restored the belfry stage of the tower, based upon the evidence then surviving.

Tenth or eleventh century

Scott 1862 - 3, 5 - 6, pl. II; Puckle 1864, 68 - 71; Brown 1925, 265, fig. 111