Fincham / Phincham

There are eight entries related to "Phincham" in the Domesday survey of 1086, but only one mentions a church in it; it refers to the part of Fincham that belonged to Hermerus de Ferraris "who had [...] a right in the 4th part of a church", as documented in Blomefield (1805-1810) [cf. infra], who also writes; "Talbot's-Hall. This was a very considerable manor, and took its name from the family of Talbot, who were soon after the conquest enfeoft of the same by the Earl Warren, to this lordship and family, the patronage of the church of St. Michael in this town belonged. William Talbot gave it to the priory of Castleacre, founded by the Earl Warren, and was confirmed by John Bishop of Norwich [...] This John was John of Oxford, Bishop in the reign of Henry II" [i.e., 1154-1189], therefore dating the church to that period, if not earlier. The present building, which would have relaced the earlier one here, is described in Blomefield (ibid.): "Fincham St. Michael. This church is built of flint and boulder, and consists only of a nave, or body, with a chancel covered with lead. At the west end of the nave stands a large square tower embattelled with quoins and copings of free-stone, and a pinnacle at each corner; and herein hang three bells. The length of the nave, from the west door to the chancel, is about 60 feet, and in breadth about 27. The roof is supported by oaken principals; on the head of which have been the effigies of religious persons in their habits; but their heads are broken off. [...] The chancel is in length about 33 feet, and in breadth about 18; the upper part of the wall on the north side is of brick embattled, and coped with free-stone; also a little free-stone porch or passage into the chancel". Blomefield (ibid.) suggests the time of its construction "in the reign of Edward III. and Richard II. when I conceive this church was built" [i.e., 1327-1399]. A detailed description of this font appeared in Blomefield's first edition on the history of Norfolk in 1739-1755, and later in the enlarged posthumously published edition of 1805-1810: "At the west end of the nave stands a large stone font, with a four-square bason about a yard square. On the south side, or square are the figures of three men, under three arches of stone, in a very rude and antique dress. (Plate I. Fig. 4.) On the west side, something resembling a crib or manger, and a child therein; over that two heads, (like oxen,) but broke; also above them something like a star, to set forth the birth of our Saviour, and the wise men with their offerings. (Plate 1. Fig. 5.) On this square are also two figures, one much broken, the other like an ancient Druid, probably to represent John the Baptist. On the north side is the figure of a Bishop in his robes, and with a mitre, and crosier staff, and is likely to represent St. Augustine, the apostle of the English: the 2d figure is like that of a priest in a pulpit or desk, and the 3d figure is obscure.—On the east side is Adam and Eve, and another figure not to be seen, the font here joining to a pillar. This Gothic font, with it rude arches, figures, &c. in basso relievo, is undoubtedly a piece of great antiquity. That the ancients used thus to adorn their fonts, may be seen from that curious one erected by Constantine the Emperor. " The font is noted, with a set of engravings by J. Basire, in Gough (1792), who argues against Blomefield's identifications on the font: "this description is erroneous. The figures on the South side may not be easily explained, unless we suppose the middle one on the West represents Christ's resurrection, and then these three figures will be the soldiers guarding the sepulchre. What Mr. Blomefield takes for the manger and oxens head and star is now too indistinct; but it is not improbable that the history of our Saviour's birth, baptism, and resurrection [...], might be introduced on this font, in contrast with the Fall exhibited on the East side, where the blank space may have contained the tree and the serpent. The North face clearly exhibits the baptism of Christ, and the descent of the dove over him. The bishop on one side may be St. Nicholas, the patron of the children [...], and the figure on the other side St. John the Baptist. This font has evidently been raised on a more modern pedestal." In Paley's time (ca. 1844) the basin was still supported on the octagonal [14th-century according to Paley] pedestal [cf. Gough, supra] and was placed "in the nave against the westernmost pillar on the north side" [cf. Image area]. Paley (1844) quotes the description from Blomefield's 'History of Norfolk. By the time of publication in Bond (1908), the font appears raised on a new base: a central shaft and four outer colonnettes, and one major change had been made since the time of Basire's engraving: the central arch between Adam and Eve, which appeared blank ca. 1792 was filled with a Tree of Knowledge. James (1930) informs that "the Norman font at Fincham was engraved over 100 years ago for Archaeologia" [cf. supra]. The illustration in Cautley (1949) shows the font on the later columnar base as well, and that is the base that the font stands on now [August 2000]. Described in Pevsner & Wilson (1999) with date in the "early C12", and the identification of the three Magi on the east side, the Nativity on the south side, Baptism on the west side, and, on the north, "most unusual -- Adam and Eve and the (re-worked) tree." Knott (2004) identifies the figure on the left in the Baptism of Christ scene as a bishop. On-site notes: square Norman basin resting on a central shaft and four shafts, these columns all modern; each side of the font has three arches framed at top and bottom by a narrow band of nail-head motif; the north side contains a newly carved tree of science/knowledge in the centre arch, Adam to the right and Eve to the left; the east basin side contains three almost identical Magi, each under an arch; the south side has a Nativity scene: two figures (Joseph and Mary?) stand inside the left and centre arches while the third arch contains a manger with the Child's head showing, the heads of the ox and ass and a big star over them; the west side contains a crude representation of the Baptism of Christ with the dove descending on him. [NB: the original church existed at the time of the Domesday survey [cf. supra] but we have no information on its original font].