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Summary

Font at St Edmund parish church in Dolton consisting of 2 intricately carved Saxon stones, the original purpose of which is unclear although it is suggested they may have formed a cross.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1104629: CHURCH OF ST EDMUND

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS51SE/8/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FONT (VIII to Late Medieval - 701 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SS51SE8 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV4888.

Other details: Photo.

Unknown, Untitled Source (Unknown). SDV319919.

The Dolton font consists of two square blocks placed one on the other. The upper block, in which a square-sided bowl is hollowed, is turned upside down to get a shape tapering downwards, or perhaps it was thought that the ornament, the significance of which has been lost, was of a sinister nature and would be safer upside down. On 3 faces of the upper block the serpent motif appears, interlaced after the Scandinavian fashion. Some of the interlaced tails have knots at the end - adopted by Christian artists to show that the serpent was in bondage to the cross. The lower part of the font is formed of two sections cemented together; the ornament is cut through so as to make the sides of equal width. The whole of this block is covered with another variety of interlaced work, consisting of bands worked into figures of knots or plaits. The north face of the upper block is filled with a similar plait. At a date unknown the font was made from an early Christian monument of the same type as the existing cross at Copplestone, or possibly from two such monuments. Eighth to tenth centuries. Probably erected as sepulchral memorials. The font is thought to be of similar stone and general character to the cross at Colyton. The smaller block probably comes from the upper part of a cross. Grinsell says that the blocks are richly carved and attributes them to the Wessex school of late Saxon sculpture (sources of above not specified).

Cresswell, B. F., Untitled Source (Unknown). SDV4884.

Jones, W., 1889, Untitled Source, 76 (Article in Serial). SDV4893.

Browne, G. F. + Jones, W., 1891, Font in Dolton church, North Devon (Article in Serial). SDV4890.

Other details: Photo.

Jones, W., 1891, Font in Dolton church, North Devon, 197-202 (Article in Serial). SDV4886.

Other details: Plate.

Kelly, 1906, Untitled Source (Monograph). SDV4898.

Clarke, K. M., 1908 - 1909, The Dolton Font, 25 (Article in Serial). SDV4887.

Chanter, J. F., 1910, Christianity in Devon before AD 909, 482 (Article in Serial). SDV870.

Rowley, F. R., 1912 - 1913, An Early Christian Cross-Shaft in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, 68 (Article in Serial). SDV4895.

Clarke, K. M., 1913, The Baptismal Fonts of Devon. Part 1, 315-316 (Article in Serial). SDV21185.

Reed, H., 1935, Saxon Cross in the Church of St. Andrew, Colyton, Devon, 287 (Article in Serial). SDV4892.

Other details: Plate 26.

Cottrill, F., 1935, Untitled Source, 144-151 (Article in Serial). SDV4891.

Waterfield, R., 1936 - 1937, Anglo Saxon Crosses in Devon, 177 (Article in Serial). SDV4896.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1938, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part II, 312-313 (Article in Serial). SDV6308.

Hawkins, A. S., 1977, Cross Fragments in Dolton Church (Worksheet). SDV340779.

Font is made from two blocks from a Saxon cross (or possibly two different crosses). They are richly carved and are attributed to the Wessex school.

Department of Environment, 1988, Dolton, 42 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV598.

The font consists of 2 intricately carved Saxon stones, the original purpose of which is unclear although it is suggested they may have been formed a cross.

Pybus, S., 1997, The Font, St. Edmund's Church, Dolton (Correspondence). SDV4883.

Report on structure, condition and proposed treatment for font. Includes photographs. Details of old breaks and repairs, traces of surface coatings and growth of green algae

Taylor, A., 2007, Aller Road, Dolton: An Archaeological Evaluation, 2 (Report - Evaluation). SDV340085.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 145, (Vol 2), sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Dolton Church SS570120
In the church, the font is composed of parts of the shafts of two crosses (or the shaft of one), Saxon, of similar stone and general character to the cross in Colyton church. The portions of the shaft are rectangular inn section and taper. One forms the base of the font and the other has been inverted and hollowed out to form a bowl. The lower block, generally considered to be of a different monument from that represented by the upper block. Possessing most elaborate and intricate carvings, it is believed to date between AD 800 and AD 1000. It had a wooden casing placed around the font during Reverend William Karslake's incumbency (1803). In 1997, the monument was in urgent need of cleaning, and this was undertaken by Sian Pybus of Exeter, a sculptor conservator.
Top portion 0.48 metres by 0.45 metres at the top, 0.40 metres by 0.38 metres at bottom (by 0.45 metres high).
Bottom portion 0.48 metres by 0.53 metres at top, 0.53 metres by 0.53 metres at bottom (by 0.55 metres high).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV358 - Unnamed Event
• EDV4365 - Evaluation at Aller Road, Dolton

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