South Hill nr. Callington / Southill

Noted in Lysons (1806-1833) as one of a group of Cornish fonts that includes Bodmin, “St. Austell, St. Columb-Minor, Crantock, Cuby, St. Dennis, St. Gorran, Luxulion, Newlyn, Roche, Southill, Tintagell, Veryan, and St. Wen”. Noted in 'On the ancients stone fonts of Cornwall' (1851): "The next that I shall describe is that at S. Sampson's, South Hill ; it is of a character similar to the example at Kea, but inferior in proportion and detail. On two of its sides are represented boldly sculptured floriated ornaments, and on the other two, dragons and lions. Beneath the dragon are two four-leaved flowers, of Middle-Pointed aspect: these may have been added in the fourteenth century, but, at all events, the font itself is undoubtedly of Romanesque date, (circa 1090). There are angular heads, as at Kea, but the shafts have no base mouldings." Listed in Cox-Harvey (1907) and (1912) as an excellent example of baptismal fonts of the Bodmin group of Cornwall, ornamented with dragons or salamanders. Tyrrell-Green (1928) lists it also as part of the Bodmin group; the font is of the "suspended" type in which the basin is supported by a single broad column in the centre, while four outer shafts at 90-degree angles reach all the way to the upper rim; in this font each upper portion of the column has a human head; around the upper rim sides, a pattern similar to crenellation all around except where the heads protrude; the sides of the basin and underbowl are ornamented with a dragon and other animals, Tree of life, etc. The whole appears raised on a low square plinth. Pevsner (1970) notes: "Font. Norman, St Austell type, with corner faces. 'trees of life', and long animals in profile."