Urchfont / Archesfunte / Erchesfont / Erchfont / Lescherfonte / Orcheffunte / Orchesfunte / Urchefount / Urchesfunte / Urshent

Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the Early English period. [NB:C&H use the form "Erchfont"]. The Victoria County History (Wiltshire, vol. 10, 1975) notes: "St. Mary's Abbey, Winchester (Nunnaminster) presented rectors to the church of Urchfont from at least the early 13th century until 1382 [...] The earliest surviving part is the chancel arch of c. 1200. [...] The church also retains an early-13th-century font." Noted in Pevsner & Cherry (1975): "Font. E[arly] E[nglish]. On five supports; plain bowl." Noted in the Historic Churches Preservation Trust (Recent Grants report of 16 March 2006): "font dating from c1220." Baptismal font consisting of a quadrangular tub-shaped basin chamfered at the angles, the sides tapering off and the chamfered sides resting of angle colonnettes decorated with moulded capitals and bases, while the bulk of the basin sits on a plain broad cylindrical shaft; the lower base moulded to the shape of the columns at the top, then square; on a low plinth. The whole font is whitewashed. The wooden cover is flat and has the shape of the basin top.