STONE FONT, SNAPE CHURCH, SUFFOLK. SNAPE, or Snapes, in the hundred of Plomesgate, in the county of Suffolk, is only known from a Benedictine priory being founded here in the year 1099, by William Martel and Albreda his wife, and Jeffrey Martel, their son and heir, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. These persons being seized of the manor of Snapes, and enjoying the benefit of wrecks of the sea, from Thorp to Hereford-Nesse, gave this manor to the abbey of Colchester, for the founding of a priory here, which should be a cell to that abbey. A prior and some Benedictine monks from that house were accordingly settled here in the year 1155: but, upon complaint made by Isabel, countess of Suffolk, and patroness of this priory, to pope Boniface IX. that the said abbot and convent did not maintain a sufficient number of religious therein, according to the will of the foundress, this house was, by a bull, dated A. D. 1400, made conventual, and exempted from all subjection to Colchester. William de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, temp. Henry VI. designed to have new-founded this priory, which was given by king Henry VII. to the monastery STONE FONT, SNAPE CHURCH. reign but the prior and his canons resigned up and quitted all claim and title to the same, the 21st of February 1509. It was suppressed A. D. 1524, and given to cardinal Wolsey, for the endowment of his colleges; and after the cardinal's attainder, the site of this priory was granted to Thomas, duke of Norfolk. The church of Snape is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and contains a very ancient and highly-ornamented Stone Font. The figures round the pillar which supports the Font are an assemblage of kings, prelates, and non-descript birds, standing on pedestals. The Font is a sexagon, and has a pillar at each angle, and a figure between each pillar, every alternate figure being crowned; the others in the priest's dress, and the whole of them bearing a scroll, the characters upon which is now illegible. Snape is four miles from Alboro and seven from Wickham market. |