Okeford Fitzpaine / Ockford Fitzpain

Noted in the 3rd ed. of Hutchins (1973 c1861-1874) that the original Hutchins described a pulpit as "of wood, carved, and very ancient" but that his [Hutchins'] continuators "say and are confirmed by the Register that the pulpit, which was of stone, was also taken down and converted into a font by Mr. Butler" [i.e., the Rev. Duke Butler who rebuilt the chancel in 1772]. The revised Hutchines (ibid.) adds a footnote to inform that the said pulpit, "a hansome piece of Decorated work [...] is now restored as it originally stood". The Church Builder (no. 21, January 1867: 48) reports: "The pulpit has been used as font for 100 years". Holmes (1922) notes: "It is said that the upper part of the pulpit was at one time used as a font. The old font, restored, for many years formed part of the wall of the churchyard". Mee (1939) writes of "a medieval pulpit of carved and painted stone which was once built into the wall and used as a font." Newman & Pevsner (1972) describe the pulpit as being of two parts: "The body is Perp[endicular], of stone, circular, with ogee-arched niches. The statuettes are of course Victorian", but give no indication that the older part may have been a font. The Community web site for the town of Okeford Fitzpaine [www.okeford-fitzpaine.org] notes that Duke Butlerthe incumbent in 1772 made major changes to the furnishings of this church, among which he "converted the 15th century pulpit into a Font and placed in its stead a carved oak pulpit. There is no trace of the latter now and the original stone pulpit was put back to its proper use, and much restored with the addition of figures in the niches and the stairway, in the 1866 restoration." [NB: though there are round fonts in the Perpendicular period, the majority of the English fonts of that period tends to be octagonal].