Nalliers

Described and illustrated in Le Patrimoine des communes de la Vienne (2002, v. 2: 940) as a square mounted baptismal font of the 17th century; the basin is square and rather shallow, with a chamfered underbowl; the inside of the basin is divided into several compartments: the larger round one for the aspersion, the smaller ones to contain the water, holy oils and salt. The base is a sqaure pedestal ornamented only with a large moulding about 3/4 down. A metal lid is hinged at the back, and the font is set in a corner near the entrance, two side making contact with the walls. This "functional" font, looking a lot like a household appliance, is not unique in France; a few other such fonts exist there, chiefly of the 17th century [Flohic ref.: 86240507]