Record Details
| NHER Number: | 16567 |
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| Type of record: | Find Spot |
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| Name: | Medieval font |
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Summary
A large stone font or cistern was discovered during ploughing to the north of St Mary's Church (NHER 7474) in the early 18th century. The antiquarian Tom Martin noted that this was locally thought to be the site of another medieval church or chapel, although he could find no evidence of a building on the site.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 103 202 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG12SW |
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| Parish: | GREAT WITCHINGHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
About 1732. Stray Find.
A font was struck while ploughing in Woodclose.
'This Font or Cistern of stone (for I know not which to stile it) was ploughed up about 7 or 8 year since in a close of Mr. Dobson at Great Witchingham in Norfolk about a furlong north of the present church. This close is called Woodclose, and tis said there was formerly a church or chapel in it but I have never yet read of such, or can perceive any... (ruins? looks like 'rudosa')...in it etc. I think it was not used as a font, because there is no hole at the bottom to let the consecrated water out, which they usually had. Two sides are broken by the plough coulter or share, but the four sides seemed all alike. It holds about half a bushel'. See (S1) and sketch on (S2).
This looks like no font I have ever seen, though Martin's point about the drain does not hold water as many early fonts do not have these.
E. Rose (NAU) 18 September 1980.
Monument Types
- FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Associated Finds
- FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Documentary Source: Martin, T. c. 1700-1799. Collections of Church Notes. Norfolk Records Office. Eynesford Hundred. |
| <S2> | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
Related records - none
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