Thetford No. 4 / Deodford / Tedford / Tefford / Tetford / Theford / Sitomagus

Martin (1779) notes and illustrates a font "carried out in the yard, where it served to feed cattle, is here engraved from Mr. Martin's drawing, but has been since lost." The engraving shows a quadrangular basin with a round well; at the external angles of the basin are naked human figures in a seating position, their backs and buttocks to the outside, their heads tuurned to look at the viewer; a plant appears between the figures; there is no base shown. [NB: if Martin's drawing resembled the real object the font would not likely be medieval, but we have no information either way]. Blomefield (1805-1810) writes: "All-Saints. Was a rectory belonging to Bury abbey, in which it remained till Hugh, abbot there, founded the nunnery of St. George in Thetford, to which he gave this church, at the foundation, and being appropriated to that house, it was always served by a stipendiary curate, who was paid and appointed by the Prioress: the foundations of it may be seen (as I take it) within that outward gate of the Place, which is part walled up on the right hand, at the very entrance. It was demolished at the Suppression [i.e., 1536-1541], and given to Sir Richard Fulmerston, and hath passed with the Place, to which it belongs at this time. It was returned in Edward the Third's time, to be in Thetford deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry, that it was taxed at two marks, being a rectory appropriate to the Prioress of Thetford." Blomefield (ibid.) adds: "St. George's. Was that church belonging to Bury abbey mentioned in Domesday, given (as is supposed) by King Cnute, near which the abbot placed a cell for a few monks; it continued parochial till the erection of the priory by Abbot Hugh, and then became the nuns church. It was afterwards rebuilt and augmented, but yet continued its ancient name, the priory itself being dedicated to St. George, as well as the church".