Eastbourne / Borne / East Bourne

An engraving of "the font in East Bourne church, Sussex", probably done in the 18th century, appears in 'The Antiquarian Repertory' (1807-1809). The 'Repertory' informs: "The drawing from which the engraving was made, is in the Collection of Sir William Burrell, Bart. L.L.D." [NB: this drawing shows discrepancies with later illustrations of the font at Eastbourne -- were the two pieces arranged in inverse order at an earlier date?]. Noted in Gough (1792) as a "rude and singular" baptismal font. Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the Norman period [NB: since C&H do not list another font in Eastbourne for any other period, it is likely that this is the font referred to]. Harrison (1920) notes a Perpendicular font here that "resembles those at Jevington and Willingdon". Described and illustrated in Tyrrell-Green (1928) as a baptismal font of the Eastbourne group: "the neighbourhood of Eastbourne is characterised by a group of fonts of individual and peculiar design. These fonts belong to the fifteenth century, and are curious for their date in being oblong in plan and of the tank type. Contrary to the usual fashion of their date, the bowl is plain, while the lower part has characteristic Perpendicular panelling, and the angles are worked into shafts." T-G gives the fonts at Alfriston, Barcombe, Beddingham, Hurstmonceaux, Jevington, Southease, West Dean and Willingdon as the other constituents of this group. Described in Whiteman (1994) as a square baptismal font contemporary with the 14th-century tower. The Parish website [http://www.stmaryseastbourne.com/6.html] [accessed 21 February 2010] notes: "Below the stone barrel vaulting stands a square greensand font hewn from a local quarry in the 14th century - similar examples exist at Arlington and Wilmington." [NB: the above discrepancies may result from this font having had two different identities through time: one of them as two basins, one serving as bowl the other as base -- to be resolved]. Unfortunately the entry for this font in an old photograph [1890-1920] is not available in the Historic England entry that identifies its source "from the open Red Box Collection for conservation reasons during the 2011-2012 Red Box Project [...] The photograph was received by the National Buildings Record in July 1941." [https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/photos/item/OP31147] [accessed 23 February 2024]. The entry for this church in Sussex Parish Churches [https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/eastbourne-st-mary-willingdon/] [accessed 23 February 2024] notes and illustrates the font: "Font: C15 and square, made of local greensand like others, e g St Mary, Eastbourne. The base, almost as thick as the bowl, has two ogee-headed arches on each side. Font cover: W H R Blacking, 1953 (BE(E) ibid).