Durweston / Deruinestone / Derwinestone
INFORMATION
Font ID: 11299DUR
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Font Century and Period/Style: 12th century [lower base only] -- 14th century [basin] [composite font], Medieval [composite]
Church / Chapel Name: Parish Church of St. Nicholas and St. Eligius, Durweston
Font Location in Church: Inside the church
Church Patron Saint(s): St. Nicholas of Myra & St. Eligius [aka Eloy]
Church Address: 51 Church Rd, Durweston, Blandford Forum DT11 0QA, United Kingdom -- Tel.: +44 7421 705354
Site Location: Dorset, South West, England, United Kingdom
Directions to Site: Located off the A357, N of Blandforf Forum
Ecclesiastic Region: Diocese of Salisbury
Historical Region: Hundred of Pimperne [in Domesday]
Additional Comments: recycled font / composite font: only the base slab remains of the original Norman font; the basin is Decorated
Font Notes:
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There are two entries for Durweston [variant spellings] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/ST8508/durweston/] [accessed 21 June 2025]; they mention neither priest nor church in them. The revised Hutchins (1973 c1861-1874) reports: "The font has an ancient octagonal bowl lined recently with white and grey marble, on which is cut 'Anno Domini 1847' (the time of the restoration of the church,), and 'Suffe the little chiildren to come unto me, and forbid them not.' A portion of the ancient base has also been preserved." Long (1923) notes the Durweston font: "where the base is Norman and the bowl is Decorated." Mee (1939) notes simply "an ancient font". In Newman & Pevsner (1972): "Font. The base slab for five supports is C12 or C13." The Durweston web site [www.durweston.org.uk] informs: The square base is in Purbeck marble and is probably the oldest material in the church. It is considered to be of 12th century origin. It is still used today for all baptisms in St. Nicholas." [NB: this same source notes that St. Eligius, patron saint of farriers is represented by a medieval statue and that the dedication is a double one: St. Nicholas and St. Eligius]
MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS
Material: stone, limestone [Purbeck marble] [lower base only]
REFERENCES
- Hutchins, John, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset, Wakefield: E.P. Pub. Ltd., 1973, vol. 1: 266
- Long, E.T., "Dorset church fonts", 44, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 1923, pp. 62-76; p. 67, 69, 75, 76
- Mee, Arthur, The King's England. Dorset: Thomas Hardy's Country, London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1939, p. 96
- Pevsner, Nikolaus, Dorset, Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1972, p. 191