Ath

INFORMATION

Font ID: 25889ATH

Object Type: Baptismal Font1

Font Date: 1591

Font Century and Period/Style: 16th century (late), Late Gothic

Workshop/Group/Artisan: heraldic font

Church / Chapel Name: Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin d'Ath

Font Location in Church: Inside

Church Patron Saint(s): St. Martin

Church Notes: earlier church was in nearby Brantignies, destroyed in 1578; present church built 1585

Church Address: Rue Saint-Martin 8/24, 7800 Ath, Belgium -- Tel.: +32 68 64 67 31

Site Location: Hainaut, Wallonie / Wallonne, Belgium

Directions to Site: Located off the N56, 25-30 km NW of Mons

Ecclesiastic Region: Diocèse de Tournai

Font Notes: Click to view

Baptismal font of stone dated to 1591 by an inscription, listed and illustrated in BALaT KIK-IRPA [https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/10008201] [accessed 10 August 2025]: "fonts baptismaux [...] pierre de taille [...] datation, taillé, : : 1591 [...] inscription, taillé, : monogramme du donateur : Ph. Desmaistres [...] H. couvercle : 86cm; H. cuve : 114cm". This same font, but furnished with a different cover is illustrated in a digital photograph taken 19 April 2019 by Chatsam [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Église_Saint-Martin_(Ath)_27.jpg] [accessed 10 August 2025]; the cover shown is a brass dome with a Latin-corss finial; it appears modern.

COORDINATES

UTM: 31U 554969 5609193

Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 50.632012, 3.77725

Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 50° 37′ 55.24″ N, 3° 46′ 38.1″ E

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Font Height (less Plinth): 114 cm*

Notes on Measurements: * BALaT KIK-IRPA [cf. FontNotes]

INSCRIPTION

Inscription Language: letters and numbers

Inscription Location: [cf. FontNotes]

Inscription Text: "1591" and "PM" [monogram of donor Ph. Desmaistres]

Inscription Notes: [cf. FontNotes]

Inscription Source: [cf. FontNotes]

LID INFORMATION

Material: metal

Apparatus: no

Notes: 1) old cover is a ribbed dome 86 cm tall 2) new cover [cf. FontNotes]

REFERENCES