North Somercotes / North Somercoates / Sum[m]ercotes

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Results: 12 records

Click to view images and/or subjects

B01: symbol - shield - emblem - Christ - the instruments of the Passion - cross - cross ragulé

Scene Description: Side 1, to the left of the Resurrection scene; contains a cross, bucket, seamless shirt, etc. [NB: the term "cross ragulé" is usually represented in heraldry by two crossed sticks, akin to a saltire]

Image Source: digital image of an engraving in Paley (1844: unpaged]

Copyright Instructions: PD

B02: New Testament - events from Resurrection to Pentecost - Resurrection of Christ - Christ rises from the grave

Scene Description: a figure walking out of a tomb; appears to hold a bell (!) in his right hand; the left hand holds a cross staff with banner

Image Source: digital image of an engraving in Paley (1844: unpaged]

Copyright Instructions: PD

B03: symbol - shield - emblem - Christ - the instruments of the Passion

Scene Description: To the right of the Resurrection scene; contains lance, sponge pole, nails, etc.

B04: coat of arms - 5

Scene Description: Sides 4-8: one on each side; unidentified --

B05: design element - architectural - window - cinquefoiled - 8

Scene Description: each containing a shield except one that houses the Resurrection scene

Image Source: digital image of an engraving in Paley (1844: unpaged]

Copyright Instructions: PD

BU01: design element - motifs - floral - assorted

Scene Description: Some rosettes, foliage, etc.

Image Source: digital image of an engraving in Paley (1844: unpaged]

Copyright Instructions: PD

BU02: animal - head

Scene Description: At least two are visible in this image; they appear to be lion heads

Image Source: digital image of an engraving in Paley (1844: unpaged]

Copyright Instructions: PD

view of church exterior - east view

Scene Description: Source caption: "St Mary's Church, Church End, Lincolnshire"

Image Source: digital photograph 3 November 2013 by Ian S [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3728111] [accessed 19 February 2023]

Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-SA-2.5

view of church exterior - southwest view

Scene Description: Source caption: "St Mary's church, North Somercotes. From the south west."

Image Source: edited detail of a digital photograph 10 September 2022 [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7282004] [accessed 19 February 2023]

Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-SA-2.5

view of church interior - looking east

Scene Description: Source caption: "Interior, St Mary's church, North Somercotes. Looking east."

Image Source: digital photograph 10 September 2022 [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7282193] [accessed 19 February 2023]

Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-SA-2.5

view of font

Image Source: digital image of an engraving in Paley (1844: unpaged]

Copyright Instructions: PD

view of font and cover in context

Scene Description: Source caption: "The font is the church’s chief treasure and dates from the 15th century. It is large enough for the priest to obey the rubric of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer: if they (the godparents) shall certify him that the child may endure it, the child would be dipped in the water discreetly and warily. Round the bowl are eight panels seven with carved shields 1) A lion rampant 2) four small crosses 3) Maltese cross 4) Latin cross 5) Three fleur-de-lys lilies which were the emblems of the Kings of France and England 6) Cross, three dice, robe and lantern 7) Nails, scourges spear and reed 8) Christ rising from the tomb symbolising the Christian hope – Welcome life!"

Image Source: digital photograph in A Church Near You [https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/15109/about-us/] [accessed 19 February 2023]

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

INFORMATION

FontID: 03462SOM

Church/Chapel: Parish Church of St. Mary

Church Patron Saints: St. Mary the Virgin

Church Location: Church Ln, North Somercotes, Louth LN11 7PZ, United Kingdom -- Tel.: +44 1507 358520

Country Name: England

Location: Lincolnshire, East Midlands

Directions to Site: Located off (S) the A1031, 13 km ENE of Louth

Ecclesiastic Region: Diocese of Lincoln

Historical Region: Hundred of Louthesk

Font Location in Church: Inside the church, in the W end, centre of the nave [cf. FontNotes for possible/temp move to South Somercotes]

Century and Period: 15th century, Perpendicular

Workshop/Group/Artisan: heraldic font

Font Notes: Click to view font notes

There are three entries for Somercotes [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/TF4193/somercotes/] [accessed 19 February 2023], none of which mentions cleric or church in it. Paley (1844) writes: "This large and handsome Perpendicular Font is formed of a close limestone, the smaller shafts being of an inferior Purbeck marble. [...] It was, till lately, painted, and in parts much mutilated, but it has been cleaned and restored, and the drain opened, under the direction of the present Curate, the Rev. S. Shepherd." The basin is octagonal with Ogee frames in the basin sides: "on five of the sides are shields, bearing arms; on the other three are representated the Resurrection, and the emblems of the Crucifixion." (ibid.) On the edge of the underbowl are sixteen separate ornamentations, eight at the angles and eight in the spaces between, chiefly rosettes of several types but including at least two animal heads. The base consists of a central cylindrical stem and eight outer colonnettes with round capitals and bases, the whole resting on an plain octagonal lower base. Described in Fowler (1874) as a very good font: "On the panels of the font are carved: -- 1. A cross ragulé [saltire?]. 2. The spear. 3. Two scourges. 4. Four nails. 5. Two hammers. 6. The seamless coat. 7. Three dice. 8. The reed surmounted by a sponge-cup. 9. The crown of thorns." Sutton (1898) notes: "The font, of the Decorated period, has an octagonal bowl, resting on a moulded column with base rather following the same lines as others in the district: the instruments of the passion carved on the sides. The cover is modern, but well designed." Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a "noteworthy example" of Early English fonts. The Churches Conservation Trust [www.visitchurches.org.uk] has a reference to "the 15th century font carved with the instruments of the Passion" in the church of South Somercotes, St. Peter [and so do Pevsner, Harris and Antram (1989)]. Noted in Sutton (1898): "The font [...] is a good one and in a remarkably good state of preservation. Its is octagonal in form and rests on eight shafts, four of them being of Purbeck marble and four of stone; on seven of the sides are shields bearing crosses, coats of arms, and the instruments of the passion; and on the eighth side is a boldly carved representation of the Resurrection, showing the tomb and the Saviour raising [sic] from it." Lewis' Dictionary of 1848 reports an "octagonal font of Norman design" in this church. Noted in Pevsner, Harris and Antram (1989): "Font. Octagonal, Perp[endicular], big. Shields in cusped fields, but in one the Christ of the Resurrection." [NB: Lewis (ibid.) gives the dedication of North Somercoates [sic] as St. Peter and South Somercoates [sic] as St. Mary. The entry for South Somercoates notes "a curious font of octagonal shape", and Lewis normally uses the term curious for fonts of complex or busy ornamentation, in this case the one at North Somercotes St. Mary's -- it appears that the churches have been mixed up in several of the authors, or that the font has been moved between the two churches]. The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: TF4223495765] notes: "Parish church. Late C12, C13, C14, C17, heavily restored in C19 [...] C15 font heavily restored in 1844, with octagonal bowl with shields set in cusped panels and figure of Christ climbing out of tomb, bowl supported on cluster of 8 shafts."

COORDINATES

Church Latitude & Longitude Decimal: 53.4215, 0.13

Church Latitude & Longitude DMS: 53° 25′ 17.4″ N, 0° 7′ 48″ E

UTM: 31U 309297 5922997

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, limestone (four outer shafts are Purbeck marble)

Font Shape: octagonal (mounted)

Basin Interior Shape: round

Basin Exterior Shape: octagonal

Drainage Notes: [cf. FontNotes]

Rim Thickness: 10 cm*

Diameter (inside rim): 57.5 cm*

Diameter (includes rim): 77.5 cm*

Basin Depth: 35 cm*

Basin Total Height: 44 cm*

Height of Base: 91 cm*

Font Height (with Plinth): 135 cm* (includes square lower base)

Notes on Measurements: * Paley (1844: unpaged)

LID INFORMATION

Date: modern

Material: wood, oak?

Apparatus: no

Notes: octagonal, flat and plain; modern

REFERENCES

Davies, J.G., The Architectural Setting of Baptism, London: Barrie and Rockliff, 1962

Fowler, James T., "The Church of St. James, Louth, and Other Churches Visited by the Society on the 26th and 27th of June, 1873", XII, Reports and Papers Read at the Meetings of the Architectural Societies of the Diocese of Lincoln, County of York, Archdeaconry of Northampton, County of Bedford, Diocese of Worcester, County of Leicester and Town of Sheffield, 1874, pp. 1-21; r["References"]

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England, Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate and Market Towns, Parishes, Chapelries, and Townships, and the Islands of Guernsy, Jersey, and Man, with Historical and Statistical Descriptions [...], London: S. Lewis, 1831

Paley, Frederick Apthorp, Illustrations of Baptismal Fonts, London, UK: John van Voorst, 1844

Pevsner, Nikolaus, Lincolnshire, London: Penguin, 1989

Sutton, A.F., "A Description of the Churches Visited in the Excursion from Louth, July 6th & 7th, 1897", XXIV, part I, Reports and Papers Read at the Meetings of the Architectural Societies of the Diocese of Lincoln, County of York, Archdeaconry of Northampton, County of Bedford, Diocese of Worcester, County of Leicester and Town of Sheffield, 1898, pp. 95-114; r["References"]