Upton nr. Norwich / Opton / Optune / Uppetona / Uptune

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Results: 17 records

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Apostle or saint - Evangelists - symbol - 4

Scene Description: on alternate sides of the basin

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

angel - cherub - 8

Scene Description: one at each angle of the underbowl chamfer

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

angel - holding object

Scene Description: this one holds/plays a musical instrument -- see Tyrrell-Green sketch for two other angels: one (on the right) holding a shield, the other holds two round objects

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

design element - architectural - buttress - crocketed pinnacle - 8

Scene Description: one at each angle of the basin

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

design element - architectural - canopy - 8

Scene Description: on the upper part of the pedestal, one above each of the figures below

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

design element - motifs - floral - flower - 4-petal

Scene Description: several on each panel of the basin, at the top

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

design element - motifs - quatrefoil - in a circle - 32

Scene Description: four on each side of the rise of the top step of the plinth

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

human figure - standing - 8

Scene Description: Identified in Nichols (ibid., p. 353) thus: 1)woman with swaddled child; 2)male with beads; 3)female with beads ending in a cross; 4)angel holding a candle in a large candlestick; 5)bishop; 6)another angel as in 4); 7)deacon holding book; 8)subdeacon holding chalice and pyx

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

view of base - detail

Scene Description: the angel on the left holds a candlestick; the now headless figure on the right is probably a bishop

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

view of church exterior

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

view of church exterior - southeast view

Scene Description: Photo caption: "Chiefly 15c. The tower which had long been in ruins was rebuilt in 1928-9"

Image Source: digital image of a B&W photograph taken 27 May 1992 by George Plunkett [www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Norfolk/U/Upton St Margaret's church from SE [6809] 1992-05-27.jpg] [accessed 15 May 2014]

Copyright Instructions: Standing permission by Jonathan Plunkett

view of font

Scene Description: illustration shows one angel (on the right) holding a shield, the other holds two round objects

Image Source: digital image of an illustration in Tyrrell-Green (1928: fig. 80)

Copyright Instructions: PD

view of font and cover

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

view of font in context

Scene Description: ca. 1891?

Image Source: digital image of a B&W photograph in Hill (1891)

Copyright Instructions: PD

view of font in context

Scene Description: view of church interior looking east

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

view of font in context

Scene Description: church interior looking west

Image Source: digital photograph September 2004 taken by Simon Knott [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton/upton.htm] [accessed 23 February 2005]

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (standing permit)

view of piscina

Scene Description: "The Norman piscina was discovered in the restoration of 1885, built into the wall of the north aisle above one of the windows. It is now affixed for security in the stoup near the south door" (Hill, 1891)

Image Source: digital image of an engraving of an ink and pen sketch by Henry Gales

Copyright Instructions: PD

INFORMATION

FontID: 00776UPT

Church/Chapel: Parish Church of St. Margaret

Church Patron Saints: St. Margaret of Antioch [aka Margaret the Virgin, Marina]

Church Location: Church Road, South Walsham & Upton, Norfolk, NR13 6AN, United Kingdom

Country Name: England

Location: Norfolk, East Anglia

Directions to Site: Located off (W) the A1064, about 20 km E of Norwich

Ecclesiastic Region: Diocese of Norwich

Historical Region: Hundred of Walsham

Font Location in Church: Inside the church, W end of the nave

Date: ca. 1380?

Century and Period: 14th century (late?), Perpendicular

Workshop/Group/Artisan: Seven-Sacraments font

Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Simon Knott, of www.norfolkchurches.co.uk, for his photographs of this church and font; we are also grateful to Jonathan Plunkett for the photograph of this church taken by his father, George Plunkett, in May 1992

Font Notes: Click to view font notes

There are four entries for Upton, Norfolk [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/TG3912/upton/] [accessed 15 May 2014], neither of which report a church or cleric in it. Blomefield (1805-1810) writes: "The Church was a rectory, dedicated to St. Margaret [...] and was granted (as I take it) by Ralph de Glanvile, lord chief justice of England, to the priory of Butley in Suffolk, (who was the founder of it) about 1171, and was confirmed by John de Grey, bishop of Norwich, &c. William de Raleigh, bishop, and others. On the appropriation, a vicarage was settled". [NB: this 'Ralph de Glanvile' must be Ranulf de Glanvill [aka Glanvile, Glanville], chief justiciar for Henry II; d. 1190]]. The above information puts the foundation of the church of Upton probably somewhere between 1086 and 1171. Hill (1891) writes: "we have no evidence of the existence of a church until the year 1171", and provides the transcription of the original legal instrument in the Monasticon Anglicanum. Hill (ibid.) further notes that "For two centuries the Norman church of Ranulph de Glanville was the spiritual home of the people of Upton. How it ceased to exist can only be matter for speculation [...] much of the Norman stonework was utilized in the existing structure. The Norman piscina was discovered in the restoration of 1885, built into the wall of the north aisle above one of the windows. It is now affixed for security in the stoup near the south door". With regards the present church, Hill (ibid.) adds: "With the exception, perhaps, of the tower, the present church cannot have commenced before 1380, and was probably not completed till the fifteenth century. Hill (ibid.) has no information on the original font of the Norman church, but writes on the present font: "The font is remarkably fine and in very fair preservation, although some of the figures have been sadly mutilated. It is a beautiful specimen of early English work. Three large octagonal steps form a striking approach to the font ; the top step is divided from the second by open quatrefoils, and supported at intervals by dogs in sitting postures. A finely-carved pedestal rises from a circle of foliage and queer-looking animals—two lions joined by their tails, two dogs united by their heads, and a monster having one head and two bodies. Standing out in relief upon this pedestal are figures under exquisite canopies and representing the two Sacraments, to wit:—Holy Communion, a bishop in vestments, holding pastoral staff in right hand, supported to right and left by angels bearing each a candlestick; next a priest holding an open missal ; then a second priest with the elements. Both the latter wear the dalmatic, maniple, and stole. Holy Baptism is signified by three sponsors, one male and two female, one of the latter with an infant in her arms in curious swaddling clothes, the others with rosaries : all wearing the lay dress of the period. The very handsome bowl of the font is described in L'Estrange's MSS., vol. ix. :— Emblems of "On the E. panel of bowl St. John Ev. „ N. „ St. Matthew. „ W. „ St. Luke. S. „ St. Mark. Intermediate panels :—Angels, north-east and south-west, holding shields ; south-east, a guitar ; north-west, cymbals. The bowl is supported by eight half angels holding crowths, books, shields, &c." The font was originally painted, as denoted by small fragments of the ancient colouring still remaining." Nichols (1994) writes on the claim by Fryer (1903) that there are sacramental scenes represented on the figures of the base of this font: "Exceedingly well preserved statues around the shaft of the font, interpreted by Fryer to represent baptism and eucharist; a godmother with swaddled infant, to the right two figures male and female with beads, one with a set ending in a cross; a bishop flanked by angels bearing candles in massive sticks, a deacon and subdeacon, one with an open book, the other with chalice and pyx. In neither caser does any sacramental action take place. In fact, there is no explicit reason why the woman with swaddled child could not represent confirmation as well as baptism." Described and illustrated in Tyrrell-Green (1928): the octagonal basin has the symbols of the four Evangelists alternating with angels holding objects [T-G says musical instruments]; the underbowl has cherubs at the angles. The upper part of the octagonal pedestal base has "fine canopy work under the underbowl"; these canopies are over the little standing figures that are located at the angles of the base; they are identified in Nichols (ibid.) thus: 1)woman with swaddled child; 2)male with beads; 3)female with beads ending in a cross; 4)angel holding a candle in a large candlestick;; 5)bishop; 6)another angel as in 4); 7)deacon holding book; 8)subdeacon holding chalice and pyx [the last two may be mixed]. The font is raised on a large three-step octagonal plinth; the rises of the upper step are ornamented with encircled quatrefoil motifs, four per side. Noted in Cautlet (1949). Described and illustrated in Simon Knott's Norfolk Churches [www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/upton.upton.htm]

COORDINATES

Church Latitude & Longitude Decimal: 52.654416, 1.536639

Church Latitude & Longitude DMS: 52° 39′ 15.9″ N, 1° 32′ 11.9″ E

UTM: 31U 401014 5834833

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, type unknown

Font Shape: octagonal (mounted)

Basin Interior Shape: round

Basin Exterior Shape: octagonal

REFERENCES

Blomefield, Francis, An essay towards a topographical history of Norfolk, 1805-1810

Cautley, Henry Munro, Norfolk Churches, Ipswich: Norman Adlard & Co., 1949

Friar, Stephen, The Sutton Companion to Churches, Thrupp, Stroud (Gloucs.): Sutton Publishing, 2003

Hill, Percival Oakley, A History of Upton, Norfolk, Norwich: Agas H. Goose, 1891

Knott, Simon, The Norfolk Churches Site, Simon Knott, 2004. [standing permission to reproduce images received from Simon (February 2005]. Accessed: 2005-02-23 00:00:00. URL: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk.

Nichols, Ann Eljenholm, Seeable Signs: The Iconography of the Seven Sacraments 1350-1544, Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 1994

Tyrrell-Green, E., Baptismal Fonts Classified and Illustrated, London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge: The Macmillan Co., 1928