Fingringhoe

The font and a tall cover is illustrated in Barrett (1893): "Just within the door stands the font of which the carved oak crocketed cover, like that rare type at Thaxted, opens for purposes of use in lieu of being raised aloft, by means of a counterpoise. The design of this canopy is very good, and the oak has been carefully cherished." Noted in the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (Essex, 1916-1923): "Font: octagonal bowl with moulded under-edge, plain stem and moulded base, late 14th-century. Font cover: [...] of oak, octagonal and of three stages, panelled lower stage with pierced and traceried buttresses and cresting; much restored second stage; third stage with open ogee-shaped ribs with crockets and mojlded terminal, 15th-century." Cox (1923) mentions a fine wooden pinnacle font-cover. Bond (1908) gives its height as "11 feet high, in three stages". In Pevsner (1976) as one of several noteworthy font covers in this county: "Tall, octagonal, of wood, much repaired. Buttresses with pinnacles at the angles. Plain panels ending in traceried heads. Plain second stage. Top stage with openwork ogee ribs carrying a finial." Bettley & Pevsner (2007) add 15th-century date for the cover, but do not mention the font.