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Summary

The bowl of an elaborately carved Late Saxon or Norman font was found in the churchyard hedge in the late 19th century and reinstated in the church on a new shaft and base in the early 20th century. The east face features a martyrdom and the other sides feature a fabulous monster, wild animals and patterns. Each corner has a large mask-like head.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NE/5/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (I)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FONT (X to XII - 901 AD (Between) to 1200 AD (Between))

Full description

Clarke, K. M., 1912-1913, The Luppitt Font, 201, Pl. (Article in Serial). SDV135432.

Description of the font.

Clarke, K. M., 1913, The Baptismal Fonts of Devon. Part 1, 316 (Article in Serial). SDV21185.

The original portion of the font in St Marys Church consists of a square bowl with a round moulding below and about 75mm of shaft. The bowl is covered with rich and elaborate sculpture; on the east face is a figure group representing a martyrdom, an ono-centaur curls round the north-east angle, and beyond it the rest of the north face is filled by an animal of the Amphisbaena type. The west face displays a conventional rendering of a forest, and the south an assemblage of wild animals. At the corners are large, mask-like heads. Dated to the 10th century. It was reinstated in the church in the early 20th century on a new shaft and base after having been in the churchyard.

Department of Environment, 1988, Luppitt, 60 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV135422.

The font is very good and though probably Norman may be late Saxon. It is built of Membury stone. It has a square bowl with round rim moulding. The bowl is covered with a rich and elaborate sculpture. The east face features a martyrdom and the other sides feature a fabulous monster, wild animals and patterns. Each corner has a large mask-like head. Most of the shaft and the base are C20.

Sage, J., 1992, St Mary's Church, Luppitt, Devon (Pamphlet). SDV135423.

The font was found in the churchyard hedge in the late 19th century. Pevsner refers to it as 'the most ferociously carved of all Devon fonts'.

Froggatt, E. B., Unknown, Luppitt Font (Photograph). SDV135435.

Black and white postcards of carvings around the font. One depicts the Amphisbaena, a double headed monster representing the evils of duplicity and the other a hunting scene. Dated to the 11th or 12th century.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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