Charminster / Cerminstre

There is an entry for Charminster [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [https://opendomesday.org/place/SY6792/charminster/] [accessed 16 March 2024] but it mentions neither priest nor church in it. Barnes (1891) suggests this font "might be Norman; only the bowl, much cut about and without lead lining, and the base remain." Noted in Long (1923) as a "good specimen" of the octagonal font of the Perpendicular period. Other sources, however --Hutchins (1863-1871), RCHM (1970), etc.-- identify the basin as original round and of the 12th century [the date of the original church building], having been recut to octagonal to meet the Perpendicular style in the 15th century; the stem is octagonal with round moulding at the foot an a square lower base or plinth. The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: SY6792392698] notes: "Parish Church. C11 core at east end of nave, later C12 arcades and part of south walling. C15 widening of east half of south aisle to form south chapel. C16 west tower and north and south vestries, and south porch. Chancel demolished in C17 and rebuilt c1838. North aisle rebuilt later in C19. General restorations in 1838-9 and in 1895 [...] Font probably C12 recut and reshaped in C15." Described and fully illustrated in Gerald Duke [www.martinstown.co.uk]. [NB: the overall composition of the font has been altered considerably, hence the total height of 118 cm, well above the usual medieval average of 90-100 cm].