Little Torrington

Described and illustrated in the Parish web site [www.gtorrington.freeserve.co.uk/Villages/...]: "The font is the most ancient feature. Standing on a 15th century base, it is either Saxon (11th century) or Norman (12th century) in origin, so almost certainly belonged to the original church on the site. Its unusual cushion-shaped bowl, curiously cut into four rounded divisions, is unlike any other in Devon, and may be unique [...] The font's oak cover with its four arched wreaths surmounted by a dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit, is also unusual. Apart from the dove, which is of more recent origin, the cover is probably Jacobean. But traces of the hinges and lock can be seen on top of the font bowl." [NB: "The main source of historical material has been 'Notes on the History of the Parish and Church of Little Torrington' by Beatrix F. Cresswell (Southwoods Ltd., 1937). This guide is substantially the work of Rvd. John Allen, with help from Mr Richard Watkins."] The shape of the Little Torrington basin is indeed not a common one, and its shape is akin to those found in medieval mortars and grain measures [cf. for instance, the Index entry for Conwy No. 2, for a typical example]. This basin, howver, is larger and more stylised, and the lower basin side is clearly square and decorated. Noted in Pevsner (1952): "Font. Circular, very primitive, with projected ribbed corners; what date? Jacobran cover." Drake (2002) goups this font in a catch-all grouping of "Small Clusters and Unique Fonts", together with the font or mortar at Conway and a few other 'odds and ends'.