EARLY CHRISTIAN ART 



Norman Sculpture 



The ecclesiastical sculptured stonework of the twelfth century may be 

 considered to consist of three classes, namely, (i) symbolical, (2) decorative, 

 and (3) architectural ; although it is not always easy to draw a distinct line 

 of demarcation between each. Symbolical sculpture is confined to figure- 

 subjects, crosses, and other emblematical devices ; decorative sculpture includes 

 anthropomorphs, zoomorphs, foliage, and geometrical ornament, whilst archi- 

 tectural sculpture does not go beyond mouldings and alterations in the form 

 of the detail to be ornamented. 



Examples of symbolical sculpture of the twelfth century exist at the 

 following localities in Norfolk : — 



Fonts. — Burnham Deepdale, Fincham, Sculthorpe. 

 Tympana. — Mintlyn, Tottenhill. 

 Miscellaneous. — Haddiscoe. 



Examples of decorative sculpture of the twelfth century exist at the 

 following localities in Norfolk : — 



Fonts.' — Burnham Norton, Castle Rising, Hautbois, Hunstanton, Ingelthorpe, Plumstead (part of a. 

 leaden font), Shernborne, Little Snoring, Toftrees, South Wooton. 



DooRWAYS.^-Aldeby, -Barton St. Mary, Britlingham, Burlingham (South), Castle Acre, Castle Rising, 

 Chedgrave, Cranworth, Croxton, Framlingham (East), Gissing, Haddiscoe, Hales, Heckinghara, Kir.by Cane, 

 Limpenhoe, Mundham, Ovington, Runcton (South), Sheringham, Shouldham Thorpe, Snoring (Little), 

 Thurlton, Thwaite, Wimbotsham, Wroxham. 



The font at Burnham Deepdale has a square bowl supported on five 

 short octagonal pillars, with cushion capitals, resting on a square base built 

 of ashlar stones. The bowl only of the font is ancient, the stem and base 

 being modern. All four faces of the bowl are sculptured, and the design is 

 divided into two parts, namely, (i) a projecting frieze or horizontal band 

 round the top, and (2) an arcade of four round-headed arches on each face 

 occupying the lower part of the bowl. 



The subjects represented on the four faces of the Burnham Deepdale 

 font are as follows : — 



South Face. — On the frieze at the top, a pair of lions (?) placed symmetrically facing in opposite 

 ■directions with their tails twisted together and the ends floriated. 



On the arcade below, beginning at the right and going towards the left. 



1. A man seated on a chair with a drinking horn raised to his mouth, inscribed (ia)nvarivs. 



2. A man with a hood over his head, seated on a chair, warming his feet at the fire ; inscribed 

 '(f)ebrvarivs. 



3. A man digging with a spade ; inscribed martivs.' 



4. A man with a bill-hook pruning trees ; uninscribed. 



fFest Face. — On the frieze at the top, to the right a lion (?) with a floriated tail, and to the 

 left foliage issuing from the mouth of a grotesque head at the corner. 

 On the arcade below, going from right to left — 



1. A woman with long hair hanging down her back, standing, holding a banner in her right 

 hand and having a tree in front of her ; uninscribed. 



2. A man standing ; inscribed ivNivs. 



3. A man standing, hoeing the ground ; inscribed ivlivs. 



4. A man bending down, binding a sheaf of corn ; inscribed avgvs(tvs). 



' Several of these are engraved in J. S. Cotman's Specimens of Norman and Gothic Jrchitecture in the County 

 ■ofNorfolk. 



2 The letters read from the top dovi^nwards in the opposite direction to the other two names of the 

 months. 



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