Altarnun / Altarnon / Alternon / Alternonna

No individual entry for Alternun found in the Domesday survey, but it may have been entered under the name 'Penponte', which appears in Domesday with one entry [http://opendomesday.org/place/SX2281/penpont/] [accessed 27 June 2016], without a mention of cleric or church in it. A font at Altarnun is noted in Lysons (1806-1833) as one of a group of remarkable fonts in this county, "all nearly alike, being square at the top, with human heads at the corners, and circles inclosing [sic] stars on the sides, supported by serpents, &c." Noted in 'On the ancient stone fonts of Cornwall' (1851) as one of a group of "Fonts of very similar character are to be found in the churches of S. Nunn, Altarnun ; S. James, Jacobstowe ; S. Peter, Landrake ; S. Thomas by Launceston : and there are curious fonts of different character in the churches of SS. Mevan and Issi, Mevagissey ; S. Stephen by Launceston ; S. Andrew, Whitstone ; S. Marnarch, Lanreath, &c." Described and illustrated in Fryer (1901) as a Norman Transitional font. Described in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the Norman period: a square bowl at the top with human heads at the angles but no shafts proceeding from them; a big medallion occupies each of the four faces of the bowl. Cox (1912) lists and illustrates this as one of a group of Cornish fonts made from Dorsetshire Purbeck limestone: "Square Norm[an] font of Purbeck has 4 geometrically divided circles, and heads at angles." In Pevsner (1970). Described and illustrated in Kroesner & Steensma (2004). On-site notes: a square bowl, carved of granite, with four heads at each corner, a U-shaped serpent with two heads - one at each end - encircling a six-pointed star or floral motif. The four heads and sides are identical and there is a thin rope moulding at the joint with the base. The basin well is lead lined with a central drain. The central shaft of the base is octagonal and sits on a round base and octagonal plinth. The base and plinth do not appear to be part of the original design (?). Hutton (1957, p. 58) describes the font as "Norman or Transitional font of the 'Launceston' variety, shaped like cushion/capital, with heads at angles and star or flower on sides. A date of 1100-1125 is given in an unchecked source [www.homepages.tesco.net/~k.wasley/Altarnun.htm] which also states that it was formerly painted.