Meijel / Mèèl / Meyel

An entry in the Jaarboek van Limburgs Geschied- en Oudheidkundliche Genootschap (vol. 5, 1868: 458), listed under the heading "Voici quelques données concernant des actes de vandalisme qui se commettent encore de nos jours dans le Limbourg aux fonts baptismaux", notes: "Nous avons rencontré à Ruremonde dans le jardin d'une maison particulière, deux magnifiques réservoirs d'eau, entourés de Nymphes et de Faunes. C'étaient le font baptismal, en style gothique, de Meyel, et celui de Mulbracht près de Vento. Ce dernier était une œuvre magnifique en style roman, ornée de figures." A number of sources courtesy of Pol Herman (e-mail of 15 December 2021) give a detailed history of the previous chapels ad church buildings here that preceded the present modern church of 1955; among them are: 1) Geschiedenis van Noordbrabant History of Noordbrabant), by Peter Norbertus Planken in Bergeik, updated and classified 1898 (published and digitized by Johan Biemans of the Eicha Museum Bergeik in 20(08) : The Reverend Habets, Librarian of Limburg, devotes an important page to the Baptismal Fonts in the Publications du Limbourg V (1868, p. 458)… In the garden of a private house in Roermonde, the old Gothic baptismal font of Meijel serves as a water trough. 2)A.J.A. Flament, former State Archivist for Limburg (died 1925) wrote satiric articles about the antiques trade in Limburg. He was particularly critical of the sale of ecclesiastical treasures to antique dealers. About Meijel's baptismal font, he wrote in the magazine HET VADERLAND, 14 August 1921, Het Duvelke van het Zuiden (The devil of the South) : Meijel's gothic baptismal font was planted as garden decoration at a private individual in Roermond. In a later communication Pol Herman informs that a basin of stone corresponding to the description in the earlier sources is still in the gardens of Cuypershuis, in Roermond, still serving as a garden planter. The news was registered in a 14 December 2021 article 'Fonts irreverently recycled' in the Limburger [https://www-limburger-nl.translate.goog/cnt/dmf20211214_97962182?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc] [accessed 29 December 2021]: "If you visit the Cuypershuis (worth it – it was completely renovated last year), then it is worth taking a look at the courtyard. There are pieces of sculptures of old buildings built into the walls. And there is a special planter from around 1500." The illustration in this source is captioned: "The special planter in the courtyard of the Cuypershuis from around 1500." In a still later communication (e-mail of 29 December 2021) Pol Herman writes: "The font of Meijel stays lost in the past, but the local historical society is working hard on it. It is led by a retired art historian from the university, and he has the skills, the network and the instruments to trace if something can be found."