Parham House / Parker House?

Noted in Neale (1825), in his entry for the church of St. Peter-in-the-East, Oxford: "The present font is carved of wood, and represents Adam and Eve at the foot of the forbidden tree, in the centre of which is the vessel for the consecrated water, the cover being curiously formed by the foliage" [NB: that font was later moved to Parham House -- cf. infra]. Cox-Harvey (1907): "A wooden font, which used to be in the church of St. Peter-in-the-East, Oxford, is now in the private chapel of Lord Zouch, at Parker House, Sussex. The sculptor of the elaborate and beautiful carving is supposed to be Grinling Gibbons, as he executed one like it in stone for the church of St. James Piccadilly." This one-of-a-kind wooden baptismal font is, according to Tyrrell-Green (1928: 140-141) "reported to have been brought from the church of St. Peter's-in-the-East Oxford. This is a font of great interest. it takes the form of an apple tree laden with fruit. round the trunk of the tree is coiled the serpent, and figures of Adam and Eve stand on either side, the latter holding an apple from the tree. This is a post-Reformation font, but reverts to early custom in depicting the Fall. The same subject is treated in similar manner with detached figures of Adam and Eve in the marble font of St. James' Piccadilly, attributed to Grinling Gibbons. The cover at Parham takes the form of a pile of clusters of grapes and vine leaves, while a flying cherub supplies the counterpoise for the cover. The whole of this remarkable font is finely painted in natural colours." [NB: whereas Cox & Harvey reffer to the location as Parker House, Tyrrell-Green calls it Parham House]. A recent update kindly sent by Mrs B. Harwood, General Office, Parham House & Gardens [received April 16, 2002]: The said font is in display in the White Room at Parham House. Their own guide book describes it as "The Jacobean carved and painted wood font depicting Adam and Eve dates from c. 1635. The cover is counter-balanced by a cherub suspended on a rope from a pulley." The inventory at Parham House -as cited by Mrs. Harwood- mentions that it is "probably Rhenish, 17th C, and a 1941 Sotheby's catalogue describes it as "17thC. 6' high, from St Peter's Church, Oxford" - similar to the one at Moulton, Lincolnshire, and anothe in marble in St James' Church, London."