Silchester No. 3 / Calleva Atrebatum / Cilcestre / Ciltestere / Scilchestre / Silcestre / Sylkchester

There are two entries for Silchester [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SU6261/silchester/] [accessed 25 March 2015], but neither mentions cleric or church in it. The Victoria County History (Hamshire, vol. 4, 1911) notes: "Set in its east wall is what appears to be a corner of a 12th-century font bowl with panelled sides and a scalloped capital, to which a modern shaft has been fitted." The Southern Life website [www.southernlife.org.uk/silchesterchurch.htm] [accessed 20 August 2008] quotes a text taken from "St Mary the Virgin - Silchester" by George C Boon F.S.A., F.R. His.S.: "The south porch also contains, on the left walled-in, the important fragment of the original font, supported by a few other worked stones […] A fragment of the original font, square with arcaded sides and standing on four stump pillars (of which a scalloped capital remains) is consistent with a mid-12th century date." A later (?) source, David Ross and Britain Express Ltd [www.britainexpress.com/counties/hampshire/churches/silchester.htm] [accessed 1 August 2018] reports the fragment moved inside the church: "a fragment of the original Norman font, now stuck in the south west corner beside the 14th century pedestal font that replaced it".