Chester No. 1

Results: 7 records

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B01: symbol - chrismon

Scene Description: with a rosette and dove on each side

Image Source: www.reggie.net

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

B02: animal - bird - dove - facing each other - 2

Scene Description: facing each other across the chrismon

Image Source: www.reggie.net

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

B03: design element - motifs - floral - rosette - 2

Scene Description: one on each side of the chrismon

Image Source: www.reggie.net

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

B04: design element - motifs - foliage

Scene Description: all around forming the frame for the main motif

Image Source: www.reggie.net

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

view of font in context

Image Source: www.reggie.net

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

view of font

Image Source: www.reggie.net

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

INFORMATION

Font ID: 01426CHE

Object Type: Baptismal Font1

Font Century and Period/Style: 8th century, Early Christian / Medieval

Church / Chapel Name: Cathedral Church [originally from Italy]

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

Church Patron Saint(s): [earlier (?) dedication to St. Werburga [aka Werbyrgh, Werburgh]]

Church Address: St Werburgh St, Chester CH1 2DY, United Kingdom -- Tel.: +44 1244 324756

Site Location: Cheshire, North West, England, United Kingdom

Directions to Site: The cathedral is located in the centre of downtown Chester

Additional Comments: e-mail req. sent for info on Jan. 7, 2003 to contact provided by Churchmouse (Peter Fairweather) -- no reply rec'd by April 10, 2003

Font Notes: Click to view

According to Cox & Harvey (1907), this is the oldest font at present [ca. 1907] in use in England, "brought in recent years from North Italy" [C&H cite the "Gloucestershire and Bristol Archaeological Society's Transactions", xi, as source]. Pevsner (1971) notes the later font [cf. Index entry for Chester No. 4], but illustrates a square mounted font with the caption: "Chester Cathedral, font, possibly Early Christian. Richards (1973) writes: "There are two fonts, one probably pre-Conquest", but fails to mention the origin or characteristics of the early font. The font consists of a square/quadrangular basin raised on four sets of colonnettes; the front side of the basin has a frame of tendril motif all around; inside the frame is a large chrismon in the centre with a facing dove on either side; on the lower part, between the legs of the birds and the chrismon, a rosette on each side.

COORDINATES

UTM: 30U 507319 5893623

Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 53.19189, -2.89046

Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 53° 11′ 30.8″ N, 2° 53′ 25.66″ W

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, type unknown

Font Shape: square, mounted

Basin Exterior Shape: square

INSCRIPTION

Inscription Language: Greek

Inscription Location: on the chrismon

Inscription Text: [chi, rho, alpha and omega]

Inscription Notes: in the usual arrangement, with the alpha on the left and the omega on the right, between the arms of the chi; the rho vertical

Inscription Source: [ImageArea]

LID INFORMATION

Material: wood

Notes: square volume with pyramidal top, orb-and-dove finial; the cover covered in red and gold cloth

REFERENCES

Cox, John Charles, English Church Furniture, New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1907, p. 189
Pevsner, Nikolaus, Cheshire, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1971, p. 144 and pl. 3
Richards, Raymond, Old Cheshire churches: a survey of their history, fabric and furniture with records of the older monuments, with a supplementary survey relating to the lesser old chapels of Cheshire, Didsbury, Manchester: E.J. Morten, 1973, p. 97