Alderford

***[is it in Fryer (?)] *** No entry found for this Alderford in the Domesday survey. Blomefield (1805-1810) writes: "This village is not mentioned in the book of Domesday, it being wholly included and accounted for under the lordships of Walter Giffard Earl of Bucks in Wichingham, which extended herein, and also under Giffard's manor of Swanington. In the 10th of Richard I. William de Hunting feld, and Isabel his wife, convey by fine to William Batail, 60 acres here and in Swenington. with his right in those churches [...] The Church is dedicated to St. John Baptist, and is a rectory [...] The church has two small isles, and three bells [...] 1297, Gilbert Lamberd, rector, by papal provision". As indicated in Blomefield [cf. supra] we have no refererence to church or cleric in the Domesday survey entries noted, but the fine related to this and other churches occurs in 1199, by which time a church was established here. In Thomas (1846). In Cautley (1940), with errors pointed out in Nichols [cf. infra]. Listed in Anderson (1955) [after Fryer?] as a Seven-Sacrament font. Studied in Nicholas (1994) who points out: "Confirmation and orders confused by Cautley, an error perpetuated in guide books." Nichols (ibid.) gives the order of the scenes thus: 1)Baptism; 2)Confirmation; 3)Eucharist; 4)Penance; 5)Holy Orders; 6)Matrimony; 7)Extreme Unction; 8)Crucifiction of Christ, and suggests date ca. 1518, although there may be some evidence to a later date (1523), but, "if the font is indeed this late, it is very old-fashioned for its time. Nichols (ibid.) gives the font at Great Witchingham as cognate. The underbowl of this font has cherubs at the angles; the angles of the stem are defined with thick vertical mouldings, the niches in between the latter inhabited by little statuettes of apostles or saints (?). Flat octagonal wooden cover. Pevsner & Wilson (1997) note that "20s[hillings] was left in 1518 for the 'reparation'of the font, which suggests the date". Described and fully illustrated in Knott (2006) [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/alderford/alderford.htm] [accessed 3 April 2007] as a good Seven-Sacrament font, "not as artistically dramatic as its near neighbour, the font at Great Witchingham, but homely, with rustic character." Knott (ibid.) adds that the steps of the base "are older than the font itself", and that "a bequest in the 1520s [cf. supra] seems to point to its installation, and it must have replaced an earlier font on the same double pedestal". Of the figures on the stem Knott (ibid.) suggests that "they appear to be eight Apostles; St Andrew is clearly identifieable, for example. However, one appears to wear a crown, and may be intended as Henry VI, whose cult was reaching a peak at this time. Another, which has been identified as St James from the staff in his hand and the books, appears to wear a woman's head dre -- could the staff be a crozier, making this St Etheldreda?". The entry for this church in Historic England pListing NGR: TG1237618783] notes: "Parish church. C14 W.tower, nave, chancel, south porch [...] Octagonal seven-sacrament font on stepped podium against north wall with traces of original colour." [NB: we have no information on the font from the 12th-century church here].