Frencq / Frein / Frenc / French / Frenk

Listed in Palissy [ref.: PM62000702] as a stone baptismal font of the 12th century: "Font baptismaux [...] Taille de pierre [...] 12e siècle". Illustrated in Mémoire [ref.: AP62W01804]. The font, as shown in J. Gates' B&W photograph in Mémoire, is of the table-top design (Marquise / Boulonnais type), consisting of a square basin with plain vertical sides and a round underbowl decorated at the four angles with water-leaf capitals, showing considerable damage in several spots; the base on which the basin rests is not the original, which would have consisted of a broad central shat and four angle colonnettes to match the underbowl shape, and a square base to accommodate the five pillars; instead, the present base is octagonal-to-squarewith angle stops, possibly from a different font or a pillar base. It shows with a plain, round and flat font cover that appears modern. [NB: we have not neem able to locate a current image of this font]. The baptismal font at Dannes [cf. BSI entry] shows a complete font of similar design to the one at Frencq, except for the type of leaf on the capitals and the slightly splaying basin sides, but in complete state of comservation with the five pillars and the lower base.