Baptism Font, St Michael the Archangel - Framlingham, Suffolk - Stone Church Artefacts on Waymarking.com

"The font - dating from the 14th century - is similar to many in this area of Suffolk. They are usually octagonal and have the same variety of symbols carved on their panels. Typically, there are representations of the four Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John); a medieval diagram of God the Holy Trinity, in whose name the baptised are christened; signs of the crucifixion of Christ, whose death gave Christians the eternal life into which they are baptised; and the bread and wine of the sacrament of the Holy Communion. Note the Christian symbolism on the bowl of the font dominating the pagan symbolism on the stem.

Below the bowl of the font you can see four lions and four woodwoses. The latter are the wild men of the woods — wood spirits particularly associated with oak forests. It was a medieval belief that the lion slept with eyes open and so became a symbol of powerful watchfulness in a dangerous world.

Of special interest is the oak font cover, with an acorn just cracking open at the top, symbolic of the growth of the newly baptised into mature adult faith. It is believed that this cover was left to rot in the churchyard throughout the years of Cromwell's Commonwealth government (1650-1660) to be rescued by the then rector, Richard Golty, when he returned to his living. By then the cover's lower section had rotted away and the painting on it had disappeared, though faint traces of colour remain on the cover and the font itself."

SOURCE - The church guidebook

Approximate Age of Artefact: Not listed Relevant Website: Not listed

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