Vayres-sur-Essonne

INFORMATION

Font ID: 07676VAY
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Font Century and Period/Style: 15th century (?), Gothic
Church / Chapel Name: Église paroissiale Saint-Martin de Vayres-sur-Essonne
Font Location in Church: Now [2003] back in the church, in the nave
Church Patron Saint(s): St. Martin of Tours
Church Notes: 13thC church;
Church Address: 1 rue des Cordeliers, 91820 Vayres-sur-Essonne, France
Site Location: Essonne, Île-de-France, France, Europe
Directions to Site: Located off the D449, 5 km S of La Ferté-Alais, 14 km E of Étampes, 47 km S of Paris Notre-Dame
Ecclesiastic Region: Diocèse d'Évry-Corbeil-Essonnes
Additional Comments: recycled font: used as fill in the rebuilding of the bellfry wall in the 19th century; discovered in 1960 -- disappeared font? (the one from the 13thC church here)
Font Notes:
Described and illustrated in the Patrimoine des communes... l'Essonne (2002, v. 1: 438) as a plain oval basin mounted on a rectangular base forming a rather crude baptismal font; a local archival record reports the provision for a new cover in 1485; during the 19th century the basin appear to have been hidden or abandoned behind the altar dedicated to Ste- Julienne and then built into one of the retaining walls of the bellfry; the church restoration works carried out in 1960 uncovered the forgotten font [Flohic ref.: 91141103]. Listed in Palissy [ref.: PM91001616]: "Fonts baptismaux [...] Monolithe ; navette : forme courante dans la région depuis le 12e siècle ; trace des charnières de couvercle apparente (couvercle probablement en cuivre) [...] H = 120 ; la = 80 [...] Dans la nef de l'église." Illustrated in Mémoire [ref.: AP91W01155]

COORDINATES

UTM: 31U 452382 5365289
Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 48.438945, 2.356163
Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 48° 26′ 20.2″ N, 2° 21′ 22.19″ E

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone
Number of Pieces: two
Font Shape: oval, mounted
Basin Interior Shape: oval
Basin Exterior Shape: oval
Diameter (includes rim): 80 cm*
Font Height (less Plinth): 120 cm*
Notes on Measurements: * Palissy [cf. FontNotes]

LID INFORMATION

Date: ca. 1485?
Material: metal, copper?
Notes: [cf. FontNotes]

REFERENCES

  • Le Patrimoine des communes de l'Essonne, Paris: FLOHIC, 2002, vol. 1: 438-439
  • France, Ministère de la culture, Inventaire Général, Mémoire / POP : la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine (Ministère de la culture, Inventaire Général), 2024. URL: https://www.pop.culture.gouv.fr/search/mosaic?base=%5B%22Photographies%20%28M%C3%A9moire%29%22%5D.
  • France, Ministère de la culture, Inventaire Général, Palissy (France, Ministère de la culture), France, Ministère de la culture. URL: http://www.culture.fr/public/mistral/palissy.