The basin is fluted, its form belonging to the Early English style, and it bears a strong family resemblance to fonts found in two of Kilkenny's most significant medieval buildings. That a rural parish church should possess something so closely matched to the stonework of a cathedral is quietly worth pausing over.

Writing in 1872 or 1873, a commentator named Robertson described the church at Powerstown as 'ancient' and noted that, on entering, the font immediately drew the eye. His exact phrasing singles out its quality, calling it 'splendid', and he was specific about its companions: the fonts at St. Canice's Cathedral and St. Mary's Church in Kilkenny city. Early English is a term from medieval architectural history referring to the first phase of Gothic building in Britain and Ireland, characterised by pointed arches, narrow lancet windows, and restrained decorative carving. A fluted font in this style would have clean vertical channelling around the bowl, giving it a sober elegance rather than ornamental elaboration. The fact that Robertson reached immediately for those two city comparisons suggests the Powerstown font was understood, even then, as something out of the ordinary for its setting.