108 NOTES ON DORSET " EESTOEED CHURCHES. 



(4). A small piscina in S. wall. 



(6). Tablets in walls and inscribed floor -stones mentioned 

 in Hutchins are also now gone. 



A font bowl now stands in the vestry. It is said to be of 

 Saxon origin ; but this is doubtful. 



BLANDFORD. (Hutchins, I. p. 214). 



The present church was erected after the fire of 1731, on 

 the site of the old church of St. Peter and St. Paul, which 

 had been then destroyed. The chancel was lengthened in 

 1896, and the apse dome removed to its present position 

 the Architect being Mr. C. Hunt. Masonic marks were then 

 found on stones which apparently dated back to the 14th 

 century, and doubtless belonged to the ancient church. It 

 was probably built of " mixed " stones, like Wimborne 

 Minster ; and the lower part of the present N. wall of the 

 nave may well be a portion of the old church which had been 

 left by the fire. In the renovation of the cupola of the tower 

 in 1878, some oak timber was found which bore marks of 

 fire, and probably was a remnant of the former church. 

 Mr. Norman, who did the work, has still some of the wood 

 in his possession. 



PIMPERNE. (Hutchins, I. p. 291). 



According to Hutchins the church was restored in 1850, 

 when many changes were made and the ancient features 

 mentioned (p. 293) were removed. The church was entirely 

 rebuilt in 1870, at the cost of Lord Port man, and from 

 designs of the Estate agent. The Norman arch was then 

 moved, from the entrance to the chancel, to the N. side of 

 the chancel, and the beautiful Norman south doorway was 

 placed at the W. end x of the S. aisle. 



