Saint-Evroult-de-Montfort / Montfort / Saint-Évroult-de-Montfort / Sainz Evrou

The lead font at St-Evroult-de-Monfort has, like its cognate in Brookland, Kent, the Labours of the Months and the signs of the Zodiac on two different registers of the basin sides [cf. Index entry for Brookland]. Illustrated, drawing by J-F, in Bouet (1852). Ruprich-Robert (1884-1889) dates the stone base to the 13th century and shows a base made of a cylindrical central stem with four constructional columns, the latter with capitals and bases, the former with zig-zag lines all the way through the sides. On the basin sides, there are four Apostles, each separating the group of scenes. [On-site inspection revealed that the inside of the basin had been divided into two wells using a partition welded vertically across the centre of the basin at a later date, probably following on the later custom in north-western France of using double-fonts or having two separate wells for baptism]. Lethaby (1893) mentions a lead font "very similar to our Brookland font with Zodiac and Seasons. In Enlart (1902). In Uard (1928). Clayton (1929) has described the scenes corresponding to the Labours of the Month in the cognate font at Brookland thus: March: a man pruning a vine; April: a figure holding a branch or flower in each hand (referring to the Rogationtide procession); May: a knight hawking; June: a man mowing with a scythe; July: a man apparently raking hay; August: a man reaping with a sickle; September: a man threshing with a flail; October: a man standing in a vat holding a bunch of grapes; November: a swineherd beating down acorns for the pig beneath; December: a man felling an animal with an axe; January: a two-faced Janus sitting at a table with a drinking horn; February: a man warming himself at a fire. Illustrated in Lasteyrie du Saillant (1929). In Pudelko (1932). In Webster (1970 c1938) with date of the 12th or 13th century. Described and illustrated in Zarnecki (1957) who dates it ca. 1200 and informs that, although "this and the Brookland font [...] are the products of one workshop", there are many differences between the two: slightly different blocks used, separation between the blocks, shape of the blocks themselves, etc. In Musset (1975). Described and illustrated by Denis Lavalle in Les siècles romans en Basse-Normandie (1985). In Malle (1994). Described and illustrated in Drake (2003), who points out that, unlike those on the sister font at Brookland, both the Signs of the Zodiac and the names of the months are captioned in Latin in this font; he also notes that the months are not in the proper order. Listed and illustrated in Palissy [ref.: PM61000599]: "La cuve est en forme de tronc de cône renversé. 16 scènes en relief symbolisent les saisons et les mois, avec, au-dessus, les signes du zodiaque. Chacun des quatre panneaux est séparé par un personnage en pied (Evangéliste). [...] plomb : ciselé, estampage, décor en relief [...] 12e siècle".