St. Ives nr. Penzance / Saint Ives

Noted in Lysons (1806-1833) as one of three Cornish fonts [St. Winnow and Camborne are the others] that “are nearly alike, and apparently of the fourteenth century, being round, with four angels supporting shields, and inscriptions in text hand: those of Camborne and St. Ives have four lions at the base[...]. The inscription on the St. Ives font is imperfect; but appears to have been of the same kind, though not in the same words as the other two [...].” Noted in 'On the ancient stone fonts of Cornwall' (1851) as an early example of font form the Middle Pointed, i.e., Decorated, period bearing a partly obliterated inscription. Described and illustrated in one of Blight's articles on Cornish churches for the Gentleman's Magazine (1863) and later reprinted in his Churches of West Cornwall (1885). Blight (ibid.) warns that the font is "apparently of the thirteenth century, but, as it is of granite, may be a copy of a similar one of that date"; Blight also gives the text of the inscription and identifies the animals of the lower base as "four dragons"]. Noted in Murray (1865) simply as "a curious font". Described in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the 13th century, in the Decorated style; they report a Latin inscription on it [cf. Inscription area]. Cox (1912) writes: "Fine but much restored early 14th cent, granite font has 4 shield-bearing angels round bowl, on one shield, in raised letters, Omnes baptizate gentes, 4 dragons at base." The same inscription is reported in Tyrrell-Green (1928) as appearing on the shield carried by an angel; this same source (ibid.) describes low-relief lions ornamenting the pedestal. Noted in Pevsner (1970): "Font. Circular base with attached corner bases of supports decorated by lions 'passant gardant' (cf. Crowan). The circular bowl has severely stylized angels in the corners, holding shields. The material, granite, imposed so much restraint on detail that the work looks as if it were of today. It is probably C15." Holly Hayes describes the figures on the base as devils [http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/st-ives-church.htm [accessed 19 September 2007]. [We are grateful to Rick Parsons, Bristol, England, for providing Blight's text and images] [NB: this place not to be confused with "St. Ive", also in Cornwall, which has a Perpendicular period font]. Pevsner (1970) gives this font in reference to his doubts about the early date attributed to the font at Crowan.