Wantisden

Described and illustrated in Cautley (1938) as a cylindrical mounted baptismal font from the late 12th century; as Cautley notes, the whole font is built of small blocks of stone. Cautley (1982) suggests this may the oldest font in Suffolk, and that it may originally have been tub-shaped, re-cut at a later date [cf. Index entry for the baptismal font at Canterbury St. Martin's for another font similarly built, albeit of different shape]. The lower sides of the basin are ornamented with scalloped motif; the lower base and the upper rim basin are decorated with round mouldings; the font is otherwise devoid of ornamentation. Described and illustrated in Knott [2000?] [www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/wantisden.htm] [accessed 22 March 2007], who credits 12th-century dating to Mortlock: "one of England's few surviving early medieval fonts built of blocks of stone, cemented crudely together. Mortlock thought it twelfth century. The font was smoothed and shaped after construction, with a little fill around the middle. Inside, a little lead plug protects the drain."