Blundeston

Suckling (1846-1848) writes: "The Church at Blundeston, which is a rectory dedicated to St. Mary, and now consolidated with the adjoining benefice of Flixton [...] The tower, which is circular and small in diameter, [...] exhibits decided marks of Norman erection, and was probably attached to an earlier edifice than the present church [...] The registers of Blundeston commence in 1558." There is no mention of a font in Suckling (ibid.), who shows the first recorded rector of Blundeston to be Adam Bacun, in 1312. Described and illustrated in Knott's Suffolk Churches: "The font dates from the 12th century, a plain, octagonal bowl set on 8 relief legs." The font appears monolithic, having three distinct volumes: the plain octagonal basin, an upper base consisting of a very broad octagonal stem and the eight constructional colonnettes; the third volume is another plain octagonal volume, splaying slightly ouwards at the bottom. [NB: the other font, located outside, by the priest's door, is the former vessel from Flixton St. Andrew's, a nearby parish church now in ruins [cf. Index entry for Flixton nr. Blundeston].