Broadhempston / Broad Hempston / Hamistone

There is no mention of a font in this church in Stabb (1908- ). Pevsner (1952) has: "Font. The usual octagonal Perp[endicular] type of Devon, rather plain." A font in this church is described and illustrated by Trish Steel (2008) [http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/946102] [accessed 11 January 2009]: "The 15th century font bears the emblems of St Peter and St Paul. Seven of the shields show the keys and swords in saltire whilst the eight appears to show a pair of scissors!" The font consists of an octagonal basin with deeply-carved quatrefoils in square panels containing charged shileds [cf. description supra -- however, the 'scissors' may well be a pair of keys, rather]; the underbowl is also deeply carved, each side with a cinquefoil arch or window; the octagonal stem has plain round arches/windows on the sides; moulded lower base. The wooden cover is octagonal and flat, with metal decoration and ring handle. The whole is raised on a rectangular plinth. [NB: the font is covered in a thick white-washed, and it is somewhat of 'an act of faith' to accept it as 15th-century -- was it re-tooled at a later date?]