Rudston / Rodestan / Rudstone

There are three entries for Rudston [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/TA0967/rudston/] [accessed 31 July 2014], but there is no mention of a church or cleric in any of them. A font here is noted and illustrated in Prickett (1831). Sheahan & Whellan (1857) report: ''the font is circular''. The National Gazetteer of 1868 mentions "a font of great antiquity" in this church. Although not mentioned in Glynne's visit to this church on 16 September 1873, Butler (2007) footnotes the omission. Bulmer's Directory of 1890 notes: "At the west end of the south aisle stands the font, a very fine piece of Norman work, righly ornamented with a diaper pattern." The font is listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a noteworthy example of baptismal fonts from the Norman period. Noted in Hobson (1924) as a Norman font with decoration similar to the type found on the font at Weaverthorpe. Described in Tyrrell-Green (1928) as a tub-shaped diapered font with "a very rich effect being produced by the insertion of small crosses or other figures and emblems within the trellis pattern"; this same source (ibid.) mentions that the fonts at Nafferton, Bainton, Barmston, Carnaby and Weaverthorpe, all in the East Riding of Yorkshire, have similar ornamentation. English Heritage notes: "Church. C12 west tower, early C13 aisles to nave, late C13 chancel, C19 belfry, C19 porch and alterations including tracery. [...] C12 font with alternating circle and lozenge ornament." In Pevsner & Beave (1995): ''Norman. It is almost identical to that at Weaverthorpe. Drum shape, carved with circles and octagons alternating horizontally as well as vertically.'' The font consists of a tub-shaped basin with practically vertical sides decorated as indicated in Tyrrell-Green above, raised on a square lower base that has the two east angles cut away to a spur (?), and a lower volume that is also square but plain and slightly wider. The basin well has vertical sides and a flat bottom with a central drain, all of it lead-lined, the upper fold of the lining trimmed at the rim. The south side of the basin has two metal straps forming a cross shape and providing the loop to anchor the cover lock, a rare design not common in baptismal fonts of any period. Wooden font cover [date unknown].