Exeter No. 4 / Execestre / Exonia

There are eighteen entries for Exeter [variant spellings] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/SX9292/exeter/] [accessed 13 May 2018], of which two mention a church in it. Baptismal font that is mentioned in Bond (1908) only with regards to its shape: "straight-sided, but bucket-shaped", which is not quite accurate. Noted in Stabb 1908): "the font [...] is probably the oldest in Exeter. It is massive and circular, with a decoration of pellet moulding round the top; it has been restored by scraping it as smooth as possible, so removing the appearance of the antiquity it undoubtedly has." Described in Clarke (1913): "Tub-shape; igher in proportions to its width than the average tub-font. It is made of two blocks of stone, cemented together with lead. There are two roll-and-hollow mouldings near the top, separated by a row of squared pellets, which rather suggest incipient nail-head ornament. The font bears marks of axe-dressing, but the surface of the stone as far as the lead junction is coated with paint, which fills up the surface marks, and is a great disfigurement. The man with the paint-pot in an excess of misplaced zeal has even bestowed a coat of paint on the lead lining." [Clarke (ibid.) mentions an illustration of this font in the 'Exeter Churches' appendix volume of 'Devon Notes and Queries', vol. V, p. 135]. In Pevsner (1952): "Font. Most elementary Norman." The entry for this church in Historic England [List entry Number: 1222964] reports a Norman font in it, "a circular, tapering C12 font with a band of beaded ornament round the middle of the bowl."