Fontmell Magna No. 2 / Fontmel Magna / Great Fontmel

Mee (1939) writes: "Standing by one font is another made by the Normans, rather battered but with birds and twining stems carved around it." An old basin, as well as damaged, is noted and illustrated in The Dorset Historic Churches Trust [http://dorsethistoricchurchestrust.co.uk/fontellmagna.htm]: "In a corner, below a most attractive stained glass window, rests the remains of a font thought to be at least a thousand years old." [NB: as Bond (1908) noted throughout his work, one should not equate crudeness of workmanship with ancient pedigree -- the bowl in question could very well be ancient, but hardly of the 10th century -- it appears to have suffered the indignities of farm service as an animal trough or similar damaging use]. [cf. Index entry for Fontmell Magna No. 1 for the decorated Norman font, and Fontmell Magna No. 3 for the Victorian disused font in this church]