St. Austell / Saint Austell
Image copyright © [in the public domain]
PD
Results: 9 records
B01: animal - fabulous animal or monster - dragon or salamander?
Scene Description: several dragons (although Bond suggests possibly salamanders)
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © [in the public domain]
Image Source: Lysons (1806-1833)
Copyright Instructions: PD
B02: human figure - head, face or mask
Scene Description: several on the basin sides
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © [in the public domain]
Image Source: Lysons (1806-1833)
Copyright Instructions: PD
B03: animal - mammal - quadruped
Scene Description: several, on the sides of the basin
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © [in the public domain]
Image Source: Lysons (1806-1833)
Copyright Instructions: PD
BBU01: design element - motifs - scallop
Scene Description: a band of, around the upper rim side
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © [in the public domain]
Image Source: Lysons (1806-1833)
Copyright Instructions: PD
BH01: human figure - head - 4
Scene Description: at the angles of the basin, serving as capitals to the outer colonnettes of the base
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © [in the public domain]
Image Source: Lysons (1806-1833)
Copyright Instructions: PD
LB01: design element - motifs - spur - 4
Scene Description: on the base of the outer colonnettes
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © [in the public domain]
Image Source: Lysons (1806-1833)
Copyright Instructions: PD
view of font
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © [in the public domain]
Image Source: Lysons (1806-1833)
Copyright Instructions: PD
view of font
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Ceolmor, 2008
Image Source: detail of a digital photograph taken 30 July 2008 by Ceolmor [http://www.flickr.com/photos/23401971@N03/2823580982/in/photostream/] [accessed 6 January 2010]
Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE
view of font and cover
Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Ceolmor, 2008
Image Source: digital photograph taken 30 July 2008 by Ceolmor [http://www.flickr.com/photos/23401971@N03/2823580982/in/photostream/] [accessed 6 January 2010]
Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE
INFORMATION
Font ID: 01481AUS
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Font Century and Period/Style: 12th - 13th century, Late Norman / Transitional?
Workshop/Group/Artisan: Cornish font, Bodmin group
Cognate Fonts: Similar fonts at Bodmin, St. Columb-Minor, Crantock, Cuby, St. Dennis, St. Gorran, Luxulyan, Newlyn, Roche, Southill, Tintagell, Veryan, and St. Wen
Church / Chapel Name: Parish Church of the Holy Trinity [aka St. Austel and the Holy Trinity]
Font Location in Church: Inside the church, in the W end of the nave, by the S door
Church Patron Saint(s): The Holy Trinity [and St. Austel?]
Church Address: Church St, Saint Austell PL25 4FZ, United Kingdom -- Tel.: +44 1726 64299
Site Location: Cornwall, South West, England, United Kingdom
Directions to Site: Located about 25 km SSW of Bodmin
Font Notes:
Click to view
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 and illustrated in Upcott (1818) [with reference to Lyson]. Simpson (1828) lists it as a Norman font but does not give details of it. Described in 'On the ancient stone fonts of Cornwall' (1851): "a richly carved font of Romanesque date. It resembles the example at S. Sampson's, South Hill, in many respects, but is of somewhat better proportions. The foliage, dragons, and ornaments on the sides of the bowl are very similar, and there are two or three of the same fourleaved flowers. The bowl is round, and the rim is ornamented by a richly carved band of moulding. There are heads at the corners resting on slender shafts, and the bowl is supported by a large circular pier. The base is square, but with two broad indentations on opposite sides. (Circa 1150.)" A 1890 B&W photograph of the font and cover in context by Francis Frith can be found at [http://www.francisfrith.com/search/england/cornwall/st+austell/photos/st+austell_27630.htm] [accessed 27 March 2008]. Described in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a noteworthy example of Norman/Transitional baptismal font. Bond (1908) suggests ornamentation of salamanders or dragons with single knot in the tail. Cox (1912) notes a font of Pentewan stone in this church "of characteristically Cornish design […] fine and richly carved example of late Norm[an] of Bodmin type, with central and 4 angle shafts". Pevsner (1970) notes: "Font. Norman, of Bodmin type, with faces at the corners, 'trees of life', and dragons." Illustrated in A Snap in Time [http://www.caerkief.co.uk/Churches/Austell-St.html] [accessed 13 November 2009]. Two fonts covers documented for this font: one is round and almost flat, with carved top; probably Victorian; the second is a tall wooden structure of openwork, probably also Victorian.
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to the Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library for access to the copy of Lysons’ Magna Britannia, and to Jim Ingram, of the Preservation Services, Robarts Library, for the digital imaging of Lysons’ illustrations.
COORDINATES
UTM: 30U 372263 5577741
Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 50.337894, -4.795039
Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 50° 20′ 16.42″ N, 4° 47′ 42.14″ W
MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS
Material: stone, Pentewan stone
Font Shape: hemispheric, mounted
Basin Interior Shape: round
Basin Exterior Shape: round
LID INFORMATION
Date: 19th-century?
Material: wood
Apparatus: no
Notes: two covers [cf. FontNotes]
REFERENCES
- "On the ancient stone fonts of Cornwall: a communication", 83 (April 1851) / New Series no. 47, Ecclesiologist, 1851, pp. 96-102; p. 98
- Bond, Francis, Fonts and Font Covers, London: Waterstone, 1985 c1908, p. 185
- Clarke, Kate M., "The baptismal fonts of Devon -- Part VI", 51, Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art, 1919, pp. 211-221; p. 213 fn1
- Cox, John Charles, Cornwall, London: George Allen & Company, 1912, p. 13, 17, 57
- Cox, John Charles, English Church Furniture, New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1907, p. 193
- Friar, Stephen, The Sutton Companion to Churches, Thrupp, Stroud (Gloucs.): Sutton Publishing, 2003, p. 202
- Lysons, Daniel, Magna Britannia, being a concise topographical account of the several counties of Great Britain, London: Printed for T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1806-1822, vol. III: p. ccxxiii
- Pevsner, Nikolaus, Cornwall, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1970, p. 157
- Simpson, Francis, A series of ancient baptismal fonts: chronologically arranged, drwan by F. Simpson, Jun., engraved by R. Roberts, London: Septimus Prowett, 1828, p. xxi
- Upcott, William, A bibliographical account of the principal works relating to English topography, London: Printed by Richard and Arthur Taylor, 1818, p. 95 and pl. xix / [http://books.google.com/books?id=gLwuAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA228&lpg=PA228&dq=upcott+1818&source=web&ots=lJwT-K00zU&sig=oVT6Kc6G03vqjYf4Synuk_Aek9w#PPP15,M1] [accessed 23 September 2007]