Monument record HWN 008 - Church of St Mary

Church of St Mary. Consists of chancel, nave, south porch and west tower.
1086: Half church and 15 acres freeland (Hawkedon); half church and 15 acres free land (Thurston in Hawkedon).
14th/15th century: main structure.
16th century: South porch.
1873: seats 250 free.
1895: Tower struck by lightning.
1897 & 1939 Restorations (S2).
The feature of the church are the 15th century bench ends. Furter details in (S3).
Font - these square (Norman) fonts, when chamfered or bevelled round the edges and corners, soon advanced to the octagon form. The font at Hawkedon church may be cited as an instance of transitional or late Norman style, where the angles are carved into engaged shafts cushion capped and possibly supported on legs below. On the parts remaining are some elegant Norman patterns which first gave a clue to the original shape of the font for the corners, where the engaged shafts remain, were entirely at the time concealed in the wall of the church, under mortar and whitewash.
I cannot say when the Hawkedon font was shorn of its fair proportions, but I should suppose it is post Reformation work (S1).