St. Osyth

Described in Gough (1792): "octagon, having two plain shields, four with roses, one with a plain cross, and one with a cross fleurs; the shaft has four little buttresses." Barrett (1893) writes: "Of the font I give a sketch, and it will be observed that the devices thereon are curious; the central panel formerly contained a figure, which was there, I was informed, within living memory. This figure has now vanished, but upon a small square stone the monogram I.H.C. is still visible. The panel upon the left bears a heart with rather uncommon twists issuing from it, while that on the right has a knot badge of good design. An old and ruinous wooden cover surmounts the vessel." Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the Perpendicular period. Bond (1908) notes a "Vernicle of St Veronica -the handkerchief with the miraculous print of Our Lord's face- and cruciferous nimbus" on a side of the basin of the baptismal font at St. Osyth. Noted in the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (Essex, 1916-1923): "Font: octagonal bowl with cusped panels enclosing two shields with crossed keys and sword and three crowns; head of the Baptist; half-angel with shield; knot and heart; on under-eadge carved flowers, knot and shield with plain cross; panelled and traceried stem and moulded base; late 15th-century." In Pevsner (1976): "Font. Octagonal with panels containing a head of St. John, an angel holding a shield, etc." Bettley & Pevsner (2007) add "heart and flowers". The web site of the parish [www.stosyth.gov.uk] reports the font as "fine, but disfigured" and locates it "near the south door". [NB: we have no information on the font of the disappeared church of the Priory of St. Osyth -- The database of the Essex Record office [http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/result_details.asp?DocID=960296] [accessed 29 July 2010] has a record of a two-page "sale catalogue of St. Osyth's Priory state, etc. [...] History and description of the priory, incorporating prints of the font in St Osyth parish church (said to have 'recently undergone a thorough repair'), of [chapel] and tower at the priory, and of a Norman gateway in a battlemented wall. Dated approximately by references to Wright's History of Essex (published 1836) and to Frederick Nassau (died 1845). Apparently cut from an unidentified published work; original pagination 1-4. Damaged by foxing and by marginal tears."]