Great Plumstead / Plumesteda / Plumpstead / Plumstede Magna

Blomefield (1805-1810) writes: "The Church, with the chapel of St. Eustachius, was appropriated by John de Grey Bishop of Norwich [d.1214] [...] 1300, Gilbert de Hecham, instituted vicar, presented by the prior of Norwich." Paley (1844) and Cox (1875) list a lead font here. Andre (1882) lists a Norman lead font in this church. Lethaby (1893) reports: "A Norman font of lead at Great Plumstead was destroyed with the church in the fire of December, 1891. It is figured by Cotman [...] Arch. Remains, vol. i., series 2." In Lethaby (1893) [after Andre]. Noted and illustrated in Weaver (1906) [NB: in Weaver's illustration the basin, which appears raised on a stone pedestal base, seems to have been cut around the upper rim]. Bond (1908) writes: "One of the lead fonts, now vanished, was at Great Plumstead, Norfolk; it melted when the church was burnt down." Bell (1927?) lists an 1838 water-colour drawing of this font by Miles Edmund Cotman in the Bulwer Collection. A watercolour "inscribed 'GREAT PLUMSTEAD FONT.' (in the margin), and dated 'Feby. 27th. 1815.' (lower right) pencil 6 x 4¼ in. (15.2 x 10.8 cm.)" by John Sell Cotman (1782-1842) was auctioned of at Christie's [sale 5696] on 12 November 1996 and realized £1,150 [source: www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/john-sell-cotman-a-leaden-font-in-1043559-details.aspx?intObjectID=1043559 [accessed 12 August 2013]. A pencil drawing of the same font by the same artist, dated 1815, was listed as "Lot6" for sale at [www.artvalue.com/auctionresult--cotman-john-sell-1782-1842-uni-leaden-font-in-great-plumstead-137141.htm] [accessed 12 August 2013]. The National Archives [www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=153-pd123&cid=4-7#4-7] [accessed 12 August 2013] lists "Letters PD 123/62 1899 - 1938" held at the Norfolk Record Office, with contents described as: "Letters to incumbent describing old font, 1899; re translations of Domesday Book entry relating to Great Plumstead, 1900; re 16th century inventory of church goods, 1907; re etching of font, 1912; re purchase of land by Witton Rectory, 1926; re tithe redemption and C.M.S. collections, 1938." Another fine leaden example was at Great Plumpstead; but it has been so shockingly mutilated that only a portion remains about the depth of an ordinary stew-pan/" Knott (2005) informs that according to Richard Hale's 'History of Great Plumstead', a fierce fire destroyed most of the church building east of the tower on the night of December 15th 1891. [NB: the illustration in Weaver [cf. supra] appears to show charged shields (?) between columns (?) above a vine, hardly a Norman design, but we do not know how accurate the drawing is, or even if it may refer to the same original font]. The modern font in this church is octagonal, the sides of the basin carved with shields in a traceried background.