The Corpus: Oxford (St Michael) 01a

Volume 4: South-East England

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Current Display: Oxford (St Michael) 01a–f, Oxfordshire

Overview

Object type: Seven baluster shafts [1]

Measurements: Unobtainable

Stone type:

(second stage, south side): Brownish-yellow (2.5Y 8/3–4), medium-grained oolitic limestone, with ooliths 0.3–0.4 mm in diameter in a calcite matrix, and vertically aligned vague ribs or 'bars' on weathered surface; Taynton stone, Taynton Stone Formation, Great Oolite Group, Middle Jurassic; Taynton, Oxfordshire

(second stage, west and north sides): Brownish-yellow, shelly oolitic limestone, including streaks of comminuted (5-mm diameter) shell fragments; Taynton stone, Taynton Stone Formation, Great Oolite Group, Middle Jurassic; Taynton, Oxfordshire

(second stage, east side): Yellowish-brown (in places reddish-brown), very shelly limestone, including bivalves (possibly ostreids) up to 2.5 cm in diameter; Corallian beds, Upper Jurassic; from outcrop to east of Oxford

(belfry stage): inaccessible; apparently Taynton stone

Plate numbers in printed volume: Ills. 364-70

Corpus volume reference: Vol 4 p. 233-234

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Present Location

In situ in double belfry windows of west tower, four on second stage, three at belfry stage (fourth (east) side of belfry being a modern replacement)

Evidence for Discovery

First recorded by John Buckler, probably in first quarter of nineteenth century, perhaps c. 1821 (cf. Langford 1)

Church Dedication

St Michael

Present Condition

Moderately weathered

Description

Each shaft, without a capital, expands towards the mid-point where there is a roll moulding flanked by a pair of hollows. The shaft then tapers again towards the tall, almost conical, base.

Discussion

The seven surviving baluster shafts out of an original eight are each of identical form. The dating of them depends on the date ascribed to the tower of which they form in situ components. Taylor and Taylor place this in the mid eleventh century.

Date

Mid eleventh century

References

( --- ) 1910, fig. on 33; R.C.H.M. 1939, 143; Taylor and Taylor 1965 - 78, i, 481 - 2, fig. 235, ii, pl. 546; Sherwood and Pevsner 1974, 294

D.T.

Endnotes