A HISTORY OF NORFOLK 



in preference to all others. This, however, does not seem to have been the 

 case, as there are only six instances known, namely at Castle Froome 

 (Hereford), Bridekirk (Cumb.), Lenton (Notts.), West Haddon (Northants), 

 Brighton (St. Nicholas), and Wansford (Northants).^ 



The introduction of the figure of a bishop into this scene on the Fincham 

 font is an unusual feature. The Baptism of Christ first makes its appear- 

 ance in Christian art on the mosaics of the sixth century at Ravenna and on 

 the Gaulish sarcophagi of about the same period, and there is a pre-Norman 

 representation of it on the cross-shaft in the churchyard at Kells,' County Meath. 



The labours of the twelve months of the year on the Burnham Deepdale 

 font form a very interesting series, which has been fully discussed in the 

 papers in the Archaeologia already referred to. The ideas connected with the 

 passage of time and the changes of the seasons were used by the mediaeval 

 writers for purposes of symbolism, but the reason why the labours of the 

 different parts of the year were introduced into art in the first instance was 

 probably with the more utilitarian object of illustrating the ecclesiastical 

 calendars.' Having once become familiar with the appearance of the set of 

 drawings which accompanied the months in the almanac the monkish artist 

 was not slow to use them for purposes of decoration pure and simple. The 

 only other Norman fonts in England, the subjects on which resemble those 

 on the Burnham Deepdale font, are the one of stone at Thorpe Salvin, Yorks., 

 and that of cast lead at Brookland, Kent.* The former has the labours and 

 occupations of the four seasons sculptured upon it, and the latter those of the 

 twelve months, together with the corresponding signs of the Zodiac. The 

 names of the months on the Brookland font are given in French, and as there 

 are other similar leaden fonts in Normandy,^ it is most likely that the whole 

 group is of foreign origin. A very perfect set of the labours of the twelve 

 months is to be seen sculptured on the tympanum of the twelfth century 

 doorway of the church of St. Ursin, at Bourges, in Belgium,' and there are 

 others less well-preserved in England on the arch-stones of Norman doorways 

 at St. Margaret's extra Walmgate, York, and Calverton (Notts.). 



The decorative sculpture (as distinguished from the symbolical upon the 

 Norman fonts of Norfolk) is particularly good and deserves attention, more 

 especially the interlaced patterns, which may possibly be a survival from the 

 preceding Anglo-Saxon period. The interlaced work is of two kinds, (i) 

 patterns forming a border or wide band of ornament, and (2) patterns com- 

 posed of rings of different shapes adapted to fill a nearly square or circular 

 space. Amongst the first of these are three-cord plaits (at Castle Rising, 

 Inglethorpe, Sculthorpe, and Shernborne) intersecting circular rings combined 

 with straight bars (at Inglethorpe and Sculthorpe), and a twist and ring, the 

 twist being composed of double strands and the rings single (at Shernborne). 

 The second class of interlaced work is composed of circular rings, oval rings, 

 square rings with four exterior loops, pentagonal rings with five exterior loops, 

 and square rings with a Stafford knot at each of the four corners. Combi- 

 nations of these rings are frequently to be met with. 



' Also formerly at Portchester (Hants). » J. R. Allen, Early Christian SymboRm, 231. 



' There are two very good illuminated Saxon calendars in the British Museum Library (Tiberius, B. v, 

 and Julius, A. vi) ; see J. O. Westwood's Miniatures, 109, and Strutt's Horda, I, pis. 10 and 12. 

 * J. R. Allen, Early Christian SymboFtsm, 322. 



' De Caumont, Abecedaire d'Jrcheclogie, Architecture Religieuse, 308. ' Ibid. 279. 



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