Shaugh Prior

Bond (1908) narrates the sad case of the lid of the baptismal font at Shaugh Prior, in Devon, as one fine example of Gothic font covers. It, writes Bond, "was found in an old barn, the greater part broken and rotten, terribly damaged; the crowning finial was found elsewhere and consists of a headless and handless Bishop, carved in a spirited manner; the cover is 8 feet 9 inches high." Bond does not mention the font itself. Nor does Stabb (1908), who provides more details as well as an illustration of the restored cover: "The principal object of interest in this church is the carved oak font cover [...]. It is, I believe, the only example of its kind to be found in Devonshire. For years it was lost sight of, and at last was found in an old linhay, almost hidden by the dust of years, and much decayed and mutilated. It was sent to Exeter and successfully restored by Mr. Harry Hems; it is made of oak and stands about 9 feet high. In shape it is octagonal, is built in three stages; for the first 3 feet the sides rise perpendicularly, and open upon hinges for access to the font (this stage is well carved). Above this stage the structure rises for several feet with diminished diameter; the panels of this stage are plain, but the angles are enriched with carving, and have as their finials the figures of eight tonsured priests. The third stage is spiral in form, and there is some open work of elaborate detail in the spaces between the ribs. The cover is surmounted by a well carved figure of a bishop in his pontificals [i.e., buskins, sandals, gloves, dalmatic, tunicle, ring, pectoral cross, and mitre]. I believe, when the cover was found, this figure was without head or hands, but these have now been supplied. The bishop holds his pastoral staff in his left hand, the crook turned outwards, and the right hand is raised in the act of benediction. The cover probably dates from the 15th century." Noted in Pevsner (1952). The font itself is hardly ever referred to, forgotten in the shade of such outstanding cover; it is made of granite and dates from the 14th century [source: Mike Brown, Dartmoor Press, in www.dartmoorpress. clara. net/indexpshaugh.html]. A view of the font and cover ca. 1820 is available at Flickr [http://www.flickr.com/photos/gora_gray/3255928791/] [accessed 19 March 2009]. The font-cover is noted in Howard & Crossley (1919).