Merston / Merestune / Mersitone

There is an entry for this Merston [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/SU8903/merston/] [accessed 3 April 2025]; it mentions neither priest nor church in it. The font at Merston is mentioned in passing in a letter to the editor of The Gentleman's Magazine (issue of May 1776: 208-210) entitled 'Reply to Academicus concerning Baptisteries' by "W.& D." Harrison (1920) notes: "Font is square, supported by central pillar and eight small shafts." The Victoria County History (Sussex, vol. 4, 1953) notes: "A straight joint in the south wall suggests that the chancel is earlier than the nave, but both appear to be of the 13th century; the aisle seems to have been added early in the 14th; the porch is of the 17th century. [...] The font has a square basin of 12th-century form with the remains of shallow arcading on each side, the upper surface having apparently been lowered; this rests on a thick central column surrounded by eight slender ones, none having capitals or bases but resting directly on an octagonal base and a round sub-base." Described in Whiteman (1994): "The 12th-century square font stands on a central colum surrounded by eight detached shafts; the top has been cut down leaving the sides with incomplete arcading". Noted and illustrated in the CRSBI (2008): "A square bowl of Sussex marble (painted), carved with four arches on each side, but with the apices of the arches missing, as if the top of the bowl has been sheared off. The circular basin is lead lined. The bowl stands on a fat central column and eight colonnettes, also of Sussex marble. Mouldings on the bottom of the bowl reveal that the eight colonnettes replace four original angle colonnettes. There is now an octagonal plinth, on a cylindrical plinth." The Closed Churches Available for Disposal (Church of England) web site www.churchofengland.org/clergy-office-holders/pastoralandclosedchurches/closedchurches/closed-churches-available/merston.aspx] [accessed 18 September 2012] announces:"Merston St Giles. Available only for non-residential use. Grade I listed, small 13th century church in rural location comprising nave, chancel, aisle and porch. Note that the historic pews cannot be removed. Small Grade II former school room in corner of churchyard could be included in disposal subject to suitability of use."