St Peter and St Paul, Osbournby, Lincolnshire

I Location

Site Location: Osbournby
National Grid Reference: TF 069 382
County: traditional: Lincolnshire
now: Lincolnshire
Diocese: medieval: Lincoln
now: Lincoln
Dedication: medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St Peter and Paul
Type of building/monument: Parish church

II General Description

: Exterior, general view of church

Primarily an early 14thc. church consisting of W tower, nave with four-bay side aisles, and chancel. The font is Romanesque.

V Furnishings

1. Fonts

(i)

: Font, general view

: Font

The font is located near the W respond of the S aisle arcade. The polygonal plinth and round chamfered base on which the font sit are modern. The font is made from a cream-coloured stone and is drum-shaped with an intersecting arcade motif. The columns of the arcade are semi-circular and rest on simple attic bases that in turn are set on plinths. Bell-shaped capitals of little detail other than necking and plain abacus - but all the elements of a column/capital system are depicted. Intersecting arcades carry nailhead on the arches. Towards the top of the font the shape of the drum shifts to a polygonal (octagonal) form. This area is decorated with a quirk and then a band of nailhead. Above the nailhead is a roll that carries over onto the lip of the basin. A deep quirk on the lip defines the roll and emphasizes the polygonal shape. Round, lead-lined basin with central drain. At the E and W sections of the lip two pieces of stone are missing where iron dowels were once inserted.

Dimensions

h. of font	0.475 m
int. diam.	0.53 m
ext. diam.	0.735 m

VII History

The Domeday Survey records a church here in 1086 in the possession of Gilbert of Ghent, the wealthiest landholder in the county at that time. A priest also appears to be associated with this church for under the entry for (Scott) Willoughby it is mentioned that Guy of Craon had jurisdiction of 1/2 a church there 'and over a priest who belongs to Osbournby.' In 1307 the Ghent lands came into the possession of Henry de Beaumont.

VIII Comments/Opinions

Drum fonts with intersecting arches are not unusual in the county. Those closest in design to the Osbournby font with beading in the arches can be found at West Torrington, St Helen and at nearby Ancaster, St Martin and Ewerby, St Andrew, the later fragment now used as a font base. Those at Fulbeck, St Helen and Coleby, All Saints also have beading in the arches but are of a different type family of drum fonts.

IX Bibliography

Domesday Book: Lincolnshire. 24;90, 57;17.
N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire. London 1990, 595-6.
G. Platts, Land and People in Medieval Lincolnshire. History of Lincolnshire, vol. 4, 1985, 24, 27.