Wacton / Great Wacton / Wacton Magna / Waketuna

Blomefield (1805-1810) writes: "The church is dedicated to All the Saints [...] When Norwich Domesday was made [i.e., 1086], the rector had a house and 16 acres of glebe; (fn. 1) the house is situate against the churchyard, and much the same quantity of glebe now remains". Bolmefield (ibid.) names "John Tayt" as first recorded rector here, in 1310. Wilson's Gazetteer of 1870-1872) mentions both parishes (W. Magna and W. Parva) and notes: "The livings are conjoint rectories in the diocese of Norwich." The present font is described in Pevsner & Wilson (1999): "Octagonal, Perp[endicular]. Against the foot four lions; against the bowl four lions and four demi-figures of angels." The font is of one of the types characteristic of the East Anglia fonts of the Perpendicular period: the demi-figure angels hold blank shields [although at least one of them shows signs of having been defaced, a sign that there may have been carvings on it/them originally]; the underbowl has angel heads at the angles and floral motifs on the sides below; the octagonal-to-square pedestal base has the usual arrangement with seated lions at the four angles alternating with four buttresses on the sides; the lower base is square. The font stands on a modern polygonal plinth. The wooden cover is octagonal and box-like, with moulded sides that bear an inscription in English: "Except a man be born of water [...]", and with a tallish knob finial; appears modern, probably 19th-century.

**********two photos: Salmon and Simak***************