A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



The figure-subjects on two of the sides of the font at East Meon are 

 purely scriptural. 1 The scenes are taken from the opening chapters 

 of the Book of Genesis, and are arranged from right to left, beginning 

 on the north side and continuing on the east side, the subjects being 

 as follows : 



On the North Side. (i) The creation of Adam ; a group of two figures ; the Almighty 

 on the right, represented as Christ with the cruciferous nimbus, placing His right hand on 

 Adam's left shoulder. Adam is on the left, holding up the right hand and hiding his naked- 

 ness with the other. 



(2) The creation of Eve ; a group of three figures ; the Almighty standing on the 

 right and Adam lying down on the left, with Eve coming out of his side. The Almighty is 

 placing His right hand on Eve's left shoulder in the same way as He places it on Adam's 

 shoulder in the preceding scene. 



(3) The Temptation of Adam and Eve ; a group of two figures, a tree and serpent ; 

 the Tree of Life in the centre with the serpent coiled round it. On the right Eve receiving 

 the apple from the serpent with the right hand and covering her nakedness with a fig-leaf 

 held in the left hand ; and on the left Adam raising the apple to his mouth with the left 

 hand and hiding his nakedness with a fig-leaf held in the other. 



On the East Side. (i) The Expulsion from Paradise; a group of three figures and a 

 building ; the angel standing with a drawn sword in front of the gates of paradise (which are 

 conventionally treated as a Byzantine architectural composition) driving Adam and Eve before 

 him, who are still hiding their nakedness with fig-leaves held in the right hand. 



(2) The Curse after the Fall ; a group of three figures. On the right the angel 

 showing Adam who is on the left how to dig with a spade ; beyond on the left Eve with 

 a distaff and spindle. Adam and Eve are represented wearing clothes in this last scene. 



The remaining two sides of the font are ornamented with arcading 

 surmounted by a frieze sculptured with winged dragons, doves and 

 animals. 



The top of the bowl has a circular wreath of conventional vine 

 scrolls round the inside rim. Two of the spandrels at the angles are 

 filled in with foliage, and the other two with pairs of doves drinking 

 from a vase surmounted by a cross, as on the Winchester font. 



The bowl of the font at St. Mary Bourne is sculptured on two sides 

 with panels each containing a pair of conventional vines, and on the other 

 two with arcading surmounted in one case by fleurs-de-lys and in the other 

 by pairs of doves drinking from a vase. The top of the bowl is orna- 

 mented in the same way as in the fonts at Winchester and East Meon, 

 except that the pairs of doves in the spandrels at the angles are drinking 

 from a vase which is not surmounted by a cross. 



The font at St. Mary Bourne 2 is the largest of the series, the bowl 

 the only ancient part now remaining being 3 feet 7 inches across, or 

 4 inches wider than that at Winchester. 



The last font of the Winchester type in Hampshire to be described 

 is in St. Michael's church, Southampton. 3 It is 3 feet 4 inches wide 

 and 3 feet 6 inches high, so that it is the same width as the East Meon 

 font, but 3 inches higher. The bowl of the font at Michael's is sculp- 



1 The East Meon font has been described and illustrated in the Archtcokpa, x. 183. 



8 This font has been described and illustrated in Dr. Steven's History of the Parish of St. Mary 

 Bourne and in the Journal of the British jjrch&ological Association, xxxvi. 30. 



3 The font at St. Michael's, Southampton, has been described and illustrated in the Rev. J. S. 

 Da vies' History of Southampton. 



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