Aaigem
INFORMATION
Font ID: 25955AAI
Object Type: Baptismal Font1?
Font Date: ca. 1300?
Font Century and Period/Style: 13th - 14th century (?), Medieval?
Church / Chapel Name: Sint-Niklaas-en-Leonarduskerk / Parochiekerk Sint-Niklaas en Leonardus, Aaigem
Font Location in Church: disappeared
Church Patron Saint(s): St. Nicholas & St. Leonard
Church Notes: present church of 1786-1787 replaced an earlier Gothic building of ca. 1300
Church Address: Aaigemdorp 105, 9420 Erpe-Mere, Belgium -- Tel.: +32 53 83 31 83
Site Location: Oost-Vlaanderen / Flandre Est, Vlaanderen / Flandres, Belgium, Europe
Directions to Site: Located off (S) the N66, N of the N660, in the municipality and 5 km SW of Erpe-Mere, SE of Ghent, NW of Brussels
Ecclesiastic Region: Bisdom Ghent
Additional Comments: disappeared font? (he font of the medieval church here)
Font Notes:
Click to view
The present font in this church dates from the 18th century; it is listed and illustrated in BALaT KIK-IRPA [https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/13491] [accessed 21 November 2025]: "doopvont [...] Date: 1701 - 1800 [...] hoogte bekken 105 cm". This marble font consists of a hemispherical basin with a band of round arches or niches all around its sides, raised on a moulded pedestal base, also round, and a square lower base. the dome-shaped metal cover with orb-and-cross finial is also illustrated in the KIK-IRPA entry above. We have no information on the font of the medieval church here.
A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 17 November 2025) informs: "Before the Viking invasions, the territory of Aaigem probably belonged to the Abbey of St. Peter or the Abbay of St. Bavo in Ghent. Around 1100, the church belonged to the Abbey of Anchin [...] Records of baptism exist since 1629. During decanal inspection in 1680, 1688 and 1690, the font was not properly locked. In 1727, it was locked with a key. In 1744 there was no lid. In 1776, the font could not be locked. 18th century marble font. No trace of older font."
A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 17 November 2025) informs: "Before the Viking invasions, the territory of Aaigem probably belonged to the Abbey of St. Peter or the Abbay of St. Bavo in Ghent. Around 1100, the church belonged to the Abbey of Anchin [...] Records of baptism exist since 1629. During decanal inspection in 1680, 1688 and 1690, the font was not properly locked. In 1727, it was locked with a key. In 1744 there was no lid. In 1776, the font could not be locked. 18th century marble font. No trace of older font."
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Pol Herman for bringing this church to our attention and for his help documenting it
COORDINATES
UTM: 31U 565885 5637936
Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 50.889331, 3.936728
Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 50° 53′ 21.59″ N, 3° 56′ 12.22″ E