Poynings / Poninges / Ponynges / Punninges

Described and illustrated in Paley (1844): octagonal unmounted font of the late 14th century, plain except for a deep-relief Ogee arch on each side of the basin, very much resembling a window. The one-step plinth is round. "Although in general appearance this Font has much of Decorated character about it, yet we consider it from the mouldings, a specimen of Transition from that style to Perpendicular". Paley's source, the then (ca. 1844) rector, rev. S. Holland, informed that Michael Lord Poynings [† 1369] and Joan, his wife, who died soon thereafter, "left each the sum of two hundred marks for building a new church" (ibid.). "The Font therefore" -continues Paley- "was most probably erected at the same time, being the period when the Perpendicular style was first coming into use, though still retaining something of Decorated character" (ibid.) In Hussey (1852): "The font is an octagonal column of sandstone with trefoiled-headed panels worked in the sides." Described in Cox & Harvey (1907) as "a tub-shaped form with eight panelled faces" of the Decorated period. The wooden cover in Jacobean style illustrated in Bond (1908) is probably 17th or 18th century. In Harrison (1920): "Font, octagonal, with trefoil-headed panels (Perp[endicular]). The Victoria County History (Sussex, vol. 7, 1940) notes: "The parish church [...] is mentioned in Domesday Book [...] The building was practically entirely reconstructed by Thomas de Poynings and his brother Richard about 1370, and remains to-day very much as left by them. [...] The font is of unusual form, being a plain octagonal prism with trefoiled ogee-headed panels around the base but a perfectly plain upper part." The plan of the church interior in the VCH entry for this parish shows the font located towards the west side of the nave, centred between the north and south (blocked) entranceways. Described and illustrated in Whiteman (1994).