The Augustinians and the Romanesque Font from Everingham, East Riding

Abstract

The font is thought to be in the United States. It is one of the more elaborate examples in a group of over fifty cylindrical fonts in the East Riding which date from the first half of the twelfth century. Its apparently unorganised imagery is found to embody a teaching scheme reminiscent of methods described in St Augustine of Hippo's manual for instructing baptism candidates, and the design seems to be based on a text of Hugh of St Victor, from his moral interpretation of Noah's Ark. It is suggested that an Augustinian canon designed the scheme even though Everingham church did not belong to the order. This inference leads to a discussion of the pastoral work of the Augustinian canons in the East Riding in the early twelfth century. Motifs on a font at Bessingby (East Riding), on tympana at Ribbesford (Worcestershire) and Stoke-sub-Hamdon (Somerset), and at various other sites provide comparisons.

Keywords:

• EVERINGHAM
• WOLDS
• EAST RIDING
• AUGUSTINIANS
• HUGH OF ST VICTOR
• FONTS
• HARROWING OF THE NORTH
• ROMANESQUE