Langtoft nr. Driffield No. 3 / Langetou / Langhetou / Langhetov

The third baptismal font found now [November 2006] in Langtoft St. Peter's is clearly a composite object that has been much altered from its original state: the cylindrical basin may date originally to the 12th century and is chiefly plain although there is a groove on the inside of the upper rim, obviously to accommodate a cover, and the outer angle of the upper rim is chamfered; the damage shown on the upper area, the patched spot and the traces of a metal staple are all locatedf in the triangular position that would have fit the lid hardware (one lock and two staples for the hinges). The squat octagonal stone that now serves as base is of a later date and was obviously not meant to receive this basin originally; the underbowl of the basin appears to have required some sort of support base, but certainly not this one. Is the base from the original Gothic font of St. Peter's? Where is this basin from? Is this the stone said to have been uncovered after the flood of 1892 in this village, and kept in the vicarage garden for many years? [NB: this church already has a Norman font from the nearby town of Cottam, a village said to have been deserted adter the Black Death]. [We are grateful to Colin Hinson, of www.yorkshireCDbooks.co.uk, for the photographs of this font]