A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



fixion on the cross-shaft at Nassington, The Crucifixion on the latter is of 

 the usual Saxon type, copied from a Byzantine original and treated in the 

 same way as upon the Carolingian ivories, of which several fine examples may 

 be seen in the South Kensington Museum. Sol and Luna are introduced on 

 each side above the horizontal arms of the cross, and the soldiers with the spear 

 and sponge below. 



Norman Sculpture 



Examples of symbolical sculpture occur on architectural details of Norman 

 churches in Northamptonshire at the following places : — 



Fonts.— Aston le Walls, Braybrooke, Fincdon, Haddon (East), Haddon (West), Harpole, Raunds, 

 Wansford. 



Tympana of Doorways. — Barton Seagrave, Castor, Pitsford. 



Miscellaneous Architectural Details. — Castor, Northampton St. Peter, Northampton St. Sepulchre, 

 Wakerley. 



Sepulchral Slabs and Crosses. — Northampton, Messrs. Manning's office ; Rothersthorpe. 



Examples of decorative sculpture occur on architectural details of Norman 

 churches in Northamptonshire at the following places : — 



Fonts. — Bradney St. James, Dodford, Eydon, Green's Norton, Paulerspury, Thornby, Tiffield. 

 Miscellaneous Architectural Details. — Castor, Wakerlcy. 



Aston le Walls.' — The font in the church has a square bowl without any stem, resting on 

 a step. It has the head of a beast with ears at each of the upper corners, and is sculptured on four 

 faces with (i) an arcade of intersecting arches; (2) a pair of circular rings interlaced with a ring 

 having four pointed loops ; ^ (3) a geometrical diaper pattern ; and (4) the Tree of Life. 



Braybrooke. — The font in the church had originally a square bowl, but the angles have been 

 chamfered at some period subsequent to the twelfth century. The stem is round. 



The bowl is sculptured on four faces thus : — 



(i) Two serpents with twisted and looped bodies interlaced with two circular rings. The 

 serpents terminate in heads at both ends of the body, making four heads, one at each corner of 

 the rectangular panel. The bodies of the serpents are ornamented with a row of small pellets in the 

 centre, and the background is ornamented with larger pellets and foliage. Above and below the 

 rectangular panel is a horizontal band of three-cord plaitwork with pellets in the background. This 

 extensive use of pellets produces a very rich effect. 



(2) A ring with four pointed loops, interlaced with a circular ring on a background of pellets 

 and foliage. This device occurs on some of the Norman fonts in Norfolk and on the Scandinavian 

 chess-men from the Island of Lewis, now in the British Museum. 



FiNEDON.s — The font has a bowl which would be rectangular if the upper corners were not 

 splayed and the vertical angles chamfered. On one side are sculptured two figures under round- 

 headed arches. The figure on the right is seated and holds a cross in the left hand. The other 

 figure, on the left, is kneeling down facing the seated figure. In the spandril at the top between the 

 two arches is a bird with outstretched wings. It has been suggested that the subject here repre- 

 sented is the Annunciation. 



East Haddon.* — The font has an approximately cylindrical bowl, 2 feet 3 inches in diameter 

 by I foot 6 inches deep outside, supported on a modern stem and base. The lower part of the 

 bowl is ornamented with an arcade of intersecting arches above which is sculptured a draped figure 

 standing between two winged dragons. The figure has its hands resting on the necks of the dragons ; 

 each dragon holds in its mouth a round object, and the tails of the dragons branch off into foliage 

 covering the whole of the rest of the surface of the bowl. 



West Haddon.' — The font has an approximately square bowl, measuring 2 feet 4^ inches 

 across one way, and 2 feet 5^ inches the other, by i foot 2^ inches deep^ outside, supported on a 



1 Engraved in G. Baker's Hisi. ofNorthamptonshtre and in Paley's Baptismal Fonts. 

 ' Devices of this class are to be seen on some of the Norman fonts in Norfolk. 

 ' Engraved in Parker's Churches of 'Northamptonshire, 132. 

 * Engraved In Paley's Baptismal Fonts. 



'" Engraved in ViXeyh Baptismal Fonts; Parker's Churches of Northamptonshire, 233 ; and j4ssoc. Archit. 

 Soc. Rep. XX. 



^ About 4 inches of the bottom has been cut awnv. 



