“Fawlty Font”

St Nicholas, Bedfield, Suffolk



The octagonal font stands at the west end of the church between the North and South doors. The font dates back many hundreds of years and must have witnessed the baptism of hundreds of Bedfields babes over the years. The original step around the base remains, and fragments of the original paint can still be seen on the stonework. Five of the fonts eight panels are carved with perpendicular window designs, whilst the north and south panels bear the crosses of the de Uffords. These shields commemorate William de Ufford, Second Earl of Suffolk (c. 1339-1382) and his wife Isabella Beauchamp whom he married in 1376 and who died in 1416. There is an error though in the carving with a omitted bar which should divide the six crosses into two groups of three.



A similar font can be found in nearby Parham church which has the bar included. It is thereby thought that the Bedfield font maybe a reject from nearby Parham where the Uffords had one of their residences and the error would have been more likely to have been noticed.

The font is topped by a large wooden seventeenth century cover which is about 5 feet in height and very grand. Its corners have turned wooden pillars between which are panels with typical Stuart decorations. Above are radiating scrolls which rise to meet eight little carved cherub heads around a central finial. Three of the wooden sections have been designed to be removed to allow the Priest to access the font without the font cover being completely removed.



Bedfield church is open every day