Plymstock

Paley (1844) describes it as one in a group of fonts in which "the under side of the bowl is bevilled away or rounded off to meet the stem [...] and this hemispherical form is extremely common in Norman fonts as at Cuxwold, Lincolnshire; Clipsham, Rutland; Heydon, Norfolk; Laxton, Northamptonshire; Plymstock, Devonshire." Paley (ibid.) reports this font as being of red sandstone and having suffered much damage in the early 1800s during attempts to remove the "many coats of wash", and later repaired with cement. The basin is hemispheric "having a broad ornamented band of Grecian character" around the upper part of the basin side. The base is cylindrical and plain; the whole stands on three roughly square steps. Paley reports it as having been moved from its original position near the westermost pillar to its present [i.e., ca. 1844] position at the west end of the south side, north-west angle. The font cover, dated -in part- to the 17th cent. by Paley, is close to 6 feet tall; the lower part, which he dates much later than the upper, is octagonal with a saint figure painted in colours in each alternate side; the upper part "is better designed and executed than the lower portion [...] a text of scripture runs on six sides of it". Bond (1908) mentions only the font cover as being a notable example of the Post-Reformation period. [NB: the reference to the font "Plympton" in Cox & Harvey (1907) as being illustrated in Paley is obviously a typographical error and it should read "Plymstock"]. Font and font cover are noted and illustrated in Stabb (1908): "This church has an old font [...], cup-shape in form, with a broad band of carving of Grecian character: it is mounted on a circular shaft. It is of dark red sandstone, its source unknown, probably it was brought from some other church. There is a good cover, but it was evidently not made for this font, as the font is circular and the cover octagonal: each alternate side is ornamented with a carved figure. It is probably of German workmanship, and dates from the 17th century." Described and illustrated in Clarke (1916) as one of twelve Devon fonts of about the same period [Norman/Late Norman] decorated with a prominent band of honeysuckle or palmetto motif all around the basin [the twelve are: Ashprington, Blackauton, Buckfastleigh, Denbury, Cornworthy, Dartmouth St. Petrock's, Paignton St Andrew's, Plymstock, South Brent, Thurlestone, Ugborough and Wolbororugh, all in Devon]. Clarke (ibid.) writes that "this font has the same characteristics as Denbury, with the curious difference that the honeysuckle which hitherto has been unvarying in arrangement is reversed, and the containing stems are absent. The work is shallow and flat; the flatness is no doubt due in part to modern restoration, which appears to have been much overdone. The mouldings, including the base moulding of the shaft, are the same as at Denbury, but the circular base, which is either modern or modernised, is not so satisfactory as the sloping one at Denbury. The font is overweighted by its accessories: a polished marble plinth and a towering octagonal cover of carved panels." Noted in Pevsner (1952): "Norman, red sandstone, circular with a palmette frieze, the motif upside down as compared with the usual Devon practice. Fine font cover. Probably German, c. 1530, octagonal like a pulpit."