Sithney / St. Sithney

The discovery of the bowl of an ancient Norman baptismal font was reported by the Rev. Canon Rogers to the Exeter Diocesan Architectural and Archaeological Society (1853): "It was discovered on taking up the floor of the Chancel, within the Communion rails, and served, turned upside down, for a sleeper to the floor [...] The Font is made of greenstone, a volcanic rock of frequent occurrence in the County of Cornwall [...] Being easily worked, and tolerably durable, the mullions, corbels, dripstones, and Fonts of our Churches, are often formed of this material. The bason only is preserved, with the hole, as usual, in the bottom; but there are no traces of a pedestal. [...] It may be remarked, that the dimensions of the Sithney Font are unusually small: the height is twelve inches and three quarters; the external diameter nineteen inches and a half; the internal diameter fourteen inches and a half." Noted in Cox (1912) as an octagonal granite font of the 15th century. The Kerrier Deanery [www.kerrierdeanery.co.uk] informs that "the pedestal is of granite and over 200 years old"; of the basin itself, this same source relates that, upon its discovery in 1853, "it was given in that year to the church being built at Carnmenellis to serve the increasing population brought about by the new mining activities in the area. It was restored to the Sithney Church at the Feast of Epiphany [i.e., 6 January] 1922. Carnmenellis church was demolished in 1970." Tyrrell-Green (1928) lists it as a font decorated with a rope moulding among other motifs. Thomas (1983) gives the basins at Germoe [No. 2?], Tintagel [No. 3?] and Treslothan as cognates [cf. corresponding Index entries]. Pevsner (1970) notes: "Font. Noman, circular, small and indiferently decorated."