Cabourg

Ruprich-Robert (1884-1889) has a drawing of a baptismal font consisting of a hexagonal basin (cf. Huard, 1928, as well) mounted on what appear to be four non-constructional columns around a central cylindrical base; the lower corners of the basin sides have heads as ornaments; the front face has an interlace motif whereas the other two visible faces appear blank (description based on Ruprich-Robert, 1884-1889 drawing). Huard calls the base a sheaf of shafts and dates to the 12th century (Huard, 1928). Ronse (1929: 11) mentions that the colonnettes of the base are clustered with the centre column (he cites De Caumont's Abécédaire... p. 324 as source). Lasteyrie (1929) also uses Ruprich-Robert as source. Ruprich-Robert cited De Caumont as source. On-site notes: BSI visited Cabourg in June 2000 but there was no early font matching any of the reports and descriptions mentioned in the sources above, BUT there were two objects worth noting: 1) a modern font matching some of the descriptions above [cf. ImagesArea], obviously a modern font; 2) an earlier font of stone consisting of a small basin decorated with profuse late-Gothic tracery all around the sides of the much damaged basin; it is raised on an octagonal pedestal base the upper end of which is decorated with foliage, while the sides are ornamented with an arcade of slender arches, the lower base with graded moulding; by the looks of it this could be a 15th- or 16th-century basin raised on a later-date replacement base. There is an octagonal font cover atop, plat and plain, with hamdles at opposite ends; appears modern. font to be found and nobody who could account for the loss.] Lasteyrie (1929) also uses Ruprich-Robert as source. Ruprich-Robert cited De Caumont as source. [when did this font disappear? perhaps during the First World War?]