Thames Ditton / Ditone / Ditton-on-Thames

There is an entry for [Thames] Ditton [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/TQ1567/thames-ditton/] [accessed 16 October 2015], but it mentions neither cleric nor church in it. Hassell (1817) writes: "The font, near the southern entrance, bears mark of high antiquity". In Allen (1831): "The font is extremely ancient, being cut out of a solid block of stone." Described by Arthur J. Style in Surrey Archaeological Colllections (vol. VII, 1880: 223): "Probably the oldest work in the church is the Norman font, which has rude carvings of the 'Agnus Dei', a goat falling down on its back, a star of six points, and a cross.At the angles there were carved heads, two of which have been broken off, and a cable ornament below. The base of the font is modern." Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the Norman period. Druce (1908) identifies the basin motifs as: "on the south side an ornamental cross, with four equal splayed arms upor a short-footed stem; on the west a six-rayed star, sun or flower; on the east the Agnus Dei; and on the north another animal resembling a goat, the last three being in circular medallions or panels, about seven inches diameter"; Druce's essay concentrates on the symbolism of the upside-down goat, which he associates with the Ibex and the Caper in traditional bestiaries, though he resolves "to regard the Thames Ditton Goat as independent." The Victoria County History (Surrey, vol. 3, 1911) notes: "The font is of early 12th-century date and is in the form of a modified cushion capital. The inverted lunettes of the faces are edged with a cable mould and have panels, in one of which occurs an Agnus Dei and in another a goat. The third has a star, and the fourth a cross with expanded arms and stem. At the angles are small projecting heads, two of which have been defaced. The circular stem has been recut and the base is modern." [NB: the damaged corners have been repaired and show newly-carved heads on them; the heads at the two original corners are hardly discernible at all. Listed in Tyrrell-Green (1928) as a baptismal font ornamented with an Agnus Dei motif.