Lostwithiel / Lestwithiel / Lostwydhyel

No entry for Lostwithiel found in the Domesday Survey. A font here is noted and illustrated in Lysons (1806-1833) who describe "various subjects sculptured in bas-relief, very rudely designed, among which are, the crucifixion, and a man on horseback, with a hawk on his left hand, a bugle-horn in his right." Noted and illustrated in Upcott (1818) [with reference to Lyson]. Described and illustrated in Britton's Dictionary and in Paley (1844). Lewis' Dictionary of 1848 comments: "ancient stone font, on the sides of which are sculptured grotesque figures and armorial bearings, rudely executed, and now much defaced." 'On the ancient stone fonts of Cornwall' (1851) suggests a date "circa 1360". Noted in Murray (1865) without a date. Noted as Norman in Romilly Allen (1884). Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as 14th-century; C&H give a detailed account of the figural ornamentation on it. Described and illustrated in Bond (1908). Cox (1912) notes a font of Pentewan stone font of the Decorated period in this church: "The 1 4th cent, octagonal font is remarkably carved. On E. face is the Rood with Sts. Mary and John; (2) this is followed, in bold relief, by mounted huntsman and hound; (3) 2 lions passant; (4) grotesque head, with 2 snakes; (5) tracery of quatrefoils; (6) 2 hounds and a wolf, mutilated; (7) tracery of quatrefoils; and (8) a mitred foliaged head. Bowl stands on 5 shafts." Tyrrell-Green (1928) remarks on "the juxtaposition of sacred and secular objects" in the decorative program of this font. Pevsner (1970) describes the font as C14, and "of outstanding quality[...] The style of the carving is so 'metropolitan' that one may have to remember that in the C13 Lostwithiel was the capital of Cornwall and belonged with Restormel to Richard of Cornwall (a candidate for the Imperial throne) and his son Edmund (+1300). The Crucifixion is of a distinctly inferior quality, perhaps re-carved later on. For the dating of the font the tracery panels are instructive: their use of ogees makes a pre-C14 date impossible." Made of Cornish Pentewan free-stone. On-site notes: the octagonal basin stands on five columns (central + corners) with channelled mouldings; the basin sides are ornamented with excellent and original carvings: 1)east side: Crucifixion scene with Mary & John; then, (L->R), 2)hunter on horseback, horn held to his lips on the right hand, falcon on the left; a hound precedes the horse; 3)north face: two lions passant, one above the other; 4)has a protruding (15.24 cm.) grotesque human head with two interlaced snakes dangling above its ears; 5)ornamental motif with quatrefoils; 6)two quadrupeds, a hound seizing a hare/rabbit by its hindquarters; there is a mutilated figure above them that looks like a salamander; 7) the south face has tracery work, chiefly star-like motifs; 8)protruding (10 cm.) mitred head (bishop/abbot?) with foliage issuing from his ears and mouth; the bottom of the inner basin well has a curious four-leaf motif carved around the drain (the drain itself appears to have been altered to fit a modern plug).