Messines / Mesen

Image copyright © Colin Smith, 2008
Standing permission
Results: 2 records
view of font
INFORMATION
FontID: 13518MES
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Church/Chapel: [Abbey Church of St. Nicholas]
Church Patron Saints: St. Nicholas of Myra
Country Name: Belgium
Location: West-Vlaanderen / Flandre Ouest, Vlaanderen / Flandres
Directions to Site: Located on the N365, between Armentières and Ypres/Ieper, NW of Lille (dir. Dunkerke), near (6 km) the French border
Font Location in Church: [cf. FontNotes]
Date: ca. 1928?
Century and Period: 20th century (?), Modern
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Colin Smith for the photograph of this font
Church Notes: Information from WARTOURS [Official Tour Operators to the Normandy Veterans' Association] page [http://www.wartours.com/mess.html] [accessed 18 April 2008]: "By 1917 all that remained of the original church was the crypt which was used as used by the Germans as a casualty post. Adolf Hitler was taken here when he was wounded during the battle"
Font Notes:
Click to view
Baptismal font probably made in 1928 to replace the original that may have been desappeared when the Abbey church was destroyed in the first World War. The present font is of unhappy design, combining a pseudo-Romanesque square cushion-capital basin with a moulded octagonal pedestal base. Low dome brass cover with finial.