Chilton nr. Didcot / Childatun / Childestuna / Chiltuna / Chiltune / Cildatun / Cilletone / Ciltone

There are two entries for this Chilton [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/SU4885/chilton/] [accessed 6 May 2015], but neither mentions cleric or church in it. Hewett & Hewett (1844) write: "the font is remarkably rude." Described in 'Church notes...' (1887) in the context of some "notes [that] were taken between 1835 and 1840": "Font plain rude octagon, probably Decorated." The Victoria County History (Berkshire, vol. 4, 1924) notes: "The oldest part of the present building is the late 12th-century nave, originally that of a small aisleless church. Early in the 13th century the south aisle was added and in the 14th century the chancel was rebuilt. The tower was not built until 1847. [...] A plain nine-sided font of 12th-century date is still in use. The base upon which it stands is modern." No font is mentioned in the CRSBI (2015) entry for this church, which includes a blocked north doorway, a nave and a capital, all of the 12th century. The font here consists of a nine-sided basin of plain slightly tapering sides, with a narrower stem, though it appears to be part of the same block, and a round lower base; this is probably the modern part referred to in the VCH entry above. The present nine-sided wooden cover is flat and plain, modern. The font is raised on a quadrangular p;inth that is attached to one of the pillars of the arcade that divides the nave from the south aisle.