Heers / Haire / Hers

The entry for this church in the Inventaris Onroerend Erfgoed [https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/32053] [accessed 15 September 2024] reports a baptismal font of red marble bearing the coats of arms of the Rivière and Mérode families; the font cover was made of brass in 1749: "Doopvont, roodmarmer met wapens van de families de Rivière en de Merode en deksel van messing, gedateer op het deksel 1749." Listed and illustrated in BALaT KIK-IRPA [https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/82663] [accessed 15 September 2024]: "doopvont [...] hoogte: 130 cm [...] Date: 1749 - 1749" [NB: the KIK-IRPA entry gives the date of the font incorrectly using the one on the cover -- cf. infra]]. A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 8 September 2024) notes: "Saint-Martin’s church is located to the south of the castle. The castle’s chapel is therefore probably the origin of the parish church. In the 15th century the original church was equipped with a late Gothic choir by the St. Lawrence Abbey of Liège, patron and tithe collector of the church. KIK-IRPA dates the baptismal font to 1749. However, this is a date inscribed on the brass lid. Recently Urbain Vrijdaghs removed a cast iron protection ribbon, and this revealed the inscription 1597 on the basin. The baptismal font was donated by Richard de Rivière (26/05/1562 – 29/04/1613) and Antoinette de Mérode de Houffalize (+1609), as indicated by their coats of arms sculpted on the basin." An entry in Family Search [https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L85R-G71/richard-baron-of-heers-de-riviere-d%27a-1540] [accessed 15 September 2024] informs: "Richard Baron of Heers De Riviere D'A was born about 1540, in Lanaken, Limburg, Belgium [...] married Antoinette Lady of Houfalize De Merode in 1557, in Lanaken, Limburg, Belgium"