Tubersent / Thorbodessem / Thornbodeshem / Torbodessa / Tubesent / Turbodessem

The old baptismal font at Tubersent is noted as "très remarquables" in the Dictionnaire historique et archéologique du Département du Pas (Arras: Sueur-Charruey, 1875), vol. 3, p. 127. Listed and illustrated in Enlart (1890) and (1902) as a late-12th century Marquise font on a 5-support base decorated with medallions containg several motifs and symbols. Classed as 'monument historique' 11 March 1902: "Sur la proposition du Directeur des Beaux-Arts, ARRÊTE : Article 1er. — Les fonts baptismaux en pierre, du XIIe siècle, conservés dans l'église de Tubersent (Pas-de-Calais), sont classés parmi les monuments historiques. Article 2. — Le présent arrêté sera notifié au Préfet du département du Pas-de-Calais, au Maire de la commune de Tubersent et au Trésorier du Conseil de fabrique de l'église de cette commune, qui seront responsables, chacun en ce qui le concerne, de son exécution. Paris, le 11 mars 1902." Described and illustrated in Drake (2003), who relates it to the fonts at Hesdres and Newenden, the latter newly identified in Drake as a produce of the Boulonnais. Listed in Palissy [ref.: PM62001602] as a baptismal font of the 12th century: "Pilier cylindrique cantonné de quatre colonnettes engagées portant une cuve quadrangulaire, le tout en calcaire oolithe." On-site notes: slightly irregular square (83 x 87 cm) basin mounted on a plain cylindrical central column with four constructional colonnettes at the corners (one of them missing - June 2000); the ornamentation of the basin is in line with other Tournai-type fonts: one side has four circles containing each: a lion, an unidentified animal, a face or mask and another unidentified animal; the second side has a pattern of double zig-zag with vine and grapes or arum in the gaps; the third side is blank escept for the date "1430" inscribed on it [the date is too late to be the original date of manufacture of the font]; the fourth side has four circles containing each: a rosette, and eagle, a face and an animal. There has been further manipulation of this font: the basin well was filled with concrete and a marble double bowl inserted in it at some point in the past.