Fordington nr. Dorchester No. 1 / Fortitone

There is an enret for this Fordington [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/SY6990/fordington/] [accessed 19 February 2022] but it mentions neither priest nor church in it. The Archaeological Journal issue for 1865, in the proceedings of the meeting of the Institute on July 7, 1865, records the following: "Lastly a visit was paid to the church at Fordington St. George. Here was pointed out a curious holy-water stoup, which was considered to be quite unique." The 3rd ed. of Hutchins (1973 c1861-1874) notes that during the re-building work done in 1833, "a small basin adjoining the south doorway was laid open by the removal of a pew, and on examination was discovered to be a miniature font of very early date, almost certainly Norman." [Hutchins' text cites the Archaeological Journal issue of 1865 as source]. Noted in the Handbook for travellers… (1869). Barnes (1891) writes: "Stoup for holy water at the door, Early English, 13th century or earlier. Its form is most unusual. This stoup, which is 16 1/2 in. high by 15 1/2 in. in diameter, was discovered in 1833; it seems evident that it was not originally a stoup, for it has a drain through the bottom which has been plugged with lead; possibly it is a small Norman font placed in the present position in the 13th century". The object is described and illustrated in Bond (1908): "A remarkable example [of diminutive fonts] was found walled up at Fordington St George, Dorset [...]; it has a drain through the bottom plugged with lead, and may have been a piscina converted at some later point converted into a holy water stoup." The basin is cylindrical and tall, with a roll moulding at the upper rim, and slightly rounded on the underbowl, where it is ornamented with petal or scallop motif. The base is cylindrical and plain but for roll mouldings at top and bottom. In Newman & Pevsner (1972): "small font, C17(?), by the S entrance." [NB: it is rather difficult to think that the same object could be perceived as Norman and 17th-century -- Are they all writing of the same object?] [cf. Index entry for Fordington No. 2 for the Perpendicular font in this church]