Norton Malreward

A communication from Robert Askwith Taylor to the 'Notes and Queries' (3rd S.I. March 22, [18]'62: 230) on the subject of old fonts, reads in part: "In the parish church of Norton Malreward, near Bristol, is an ancient Norman one, resting upon a central and four corner shafts -- an allusion to our Lord and the four Evangelists. One of the ornamental designs, scul;ptured on one side, is the creation of the natural world, or Christ's baptism, or both included. The Holy Dove, streams of light from heaven, and water (undy), are seen in bas relief" [NB: it is not clear whether the Rev. Taylor is describing this particular font or not, but we have no information of any figural carving on this font]. [NB: a contemporary entry in The Gentleman's Magazine (Apirl 1862: 415) notes the receipt of a paper by the same person [identified as 'Rev.[...] M.A.]' related to the symbolic corbels of this church; the paper is not reproduced in the issue of TGM on account of its length]. Wade & Wade (1929) report a Norman font in this church. Not mentioned in Pevsner (1958). The National Monuments Record [IoE no. 32596] [http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=32596] [accessed 30 March 2008] notes: "Font: C12, cylindrical stem and recut top".