Oudewater

The entry for this church in Reliwiki [https://reliwiki.nl/index.php/Oudewater,_Noorder_Kerkstraat_1_-_Grote_of_Sint_Michaëlskerk] [accessed 15 November 2021] reports a stone Gothic baptismal font of the 15th century ["een natuurstenen gotische doopvont, 15de eeuw"]. Pol Herman, in a communication with BSI (e-mail of 14 November 2021) provides some information and sources: "During the restoration of the Grote or Sint-Michaelskerk in Oudewater in 1850, a beautiful octagonal bluestone baptismal font was discovered in the ground [...] the basin of a baptismal font was found under the pavement. The baptismal font originally stood in the baptistery on the west side of the church. This baptistery was demolished after the Reformation. The contours of the chapel are laid out in the pavement. [...] It is said that this remarkable baptismal font is now in the custody of the churchwarden. A laborer, kindly gave me some measurements. He could not, however, be persuaded by us to do this in Dutch measure, saying that "an old thing must also be measured with old measure."See then the result of his measurement, length is 33 Amsterdam thumbs, across the middle ; 26 ditto is the length of the water cavity; the bath has 8½ thumbs depth at the edge of the hollow and 14 thumbs in the center." Pol Herman cites sources: Kranten Streekarchief Midden-Holland, Schoonhovensche Courant | 1915 | 16 maart 1915 | pagina 2, Reformatorisch Dagblad, 08-12-2005, Ds. M. van Kooten, Doopvont als voerbak DE OPENBARE EEREDIENST DER NEDERL. HERVORMDE KERK IN De ZESTIENDE, ZEVENTIENDE EN ACHTTIENDE EEUW, DR. G. D. J. SCHOTEL, 1870. OUDEWATER EN OMTREK,GEOLOGISCH, MYTHOLOGISCH EN GESCHIEDKUNDIG GESCHETST, W. C. VAN ZIJLL, 1861, and adds: "Only the basin is original. To me the basin seems from Hainaut (Ecaussines or other quarry). They added a mosan gothic base to it."