Ambresinaux / Ambesinaux / Ambésinaux / Ambisiniaux / Ambrésinaux / Ambresinial
INFORMATION
Font ID: 25964AMB
Object Type: Baptismal Font1?
Font Date: ca. 1200?
Font Century and Period/Style: 12th - 13th century (?), Gothic
Church / Chapel Name: Chapelle [demolished]
Font Location in Church: disappeared
Church Patron Saint(s): St. Mary Magdalene
Church Notes: present church is built on the site of a former chapel dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene; present church Sint-Martinuskerk in Ambresin / Eglise Saint-Martin à Ambresin
Church Address: Ambrésinaux, 4219 Wasseiges, Belgium
Site Location: Liège, Wallonie / Wallonne, Belgium, Europe
Directions to Site: Located off (N) the N624, next to Ambresin, 2-3 km E of Wasseiges, in the municipality and 7-8 km SSW of Hannut
Ecclesiastic Region: Diocèse de Liège
Additional Comments: disappeared font (the one from the medieal parish church of ca. 1200 here
Font Notes:
Click to view
A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 20 November 2025) narrates the story of two villages, Ambresin and Ambrésinaux, with a chapel each, only 800 metres apart, that merged: "The present church is built on the site of a former chapel dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene
However archives from around 1200 already mention a parish church in Ambrésinaux. The old chapel was built of limestone and flint, in a Gothic style. It was cruciform in shape, with the chancel facing east and the entrance facing west. It was small. In 1695 is mentioned François Rasquin, priest of Ambresineau. In 1723, Pierre Malherbe is priest of Ambresineau. The Ferraris map of 1777 still shows a chapel at Ambresin. It is not known when the inhabitants of Ambresin also started to attend mass at Ambrésinaux. In 1780, the building at Ambrésinaux was threatening to collapse. Soon afterwards, the church was burned down and remained unrepaired for a long time. When lightning struck the bell tower on July 11, 1840, the damage was deliberately amplified, and demolition began on June 29, 1842. The new church Saint-Martin was built in 1843. It served for Ambrésinaux and for Ambresin. It is now known as the church “of Ambresin”. Its font is of that time; it is listed and illustrated in BALaT KIK-IRPA https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/10002063-- There is no trace now of the older font(s)."
However archives from around 1200 already mention a parish church in Ambrésinaux. The old chapel was built of limestone and flint, in a Gothic style. It was cruciform in shape, with the chancel facing east and the entrance facing west. It was small. In 1695 is mentioned François Rasquin, priest of Ambresineau. In 1723, Pierre Malherbe is priest of Ambresineau. The Ferraris map of 1777 still shows a chapel at Ambresin. It is not known when the inhabitants of Ambresin also started to attend mass at Ambrésinaux. In 1780, the building at Ambrésinaux was threatening to collapse. Soon afterwards, the church was burned down and remained unrepaired for a long time. When lightning struck the bell tower on July 11, 1840, the damage was deliberately amplified, and demolition began on June 29, 1842. The new church Saint-Martin was built in 1843. It served for Ambrésinaux and for Ambresin. It is now known as the church “of Ambresin”. Its font is of that time; it is listed and illustrated in BALaT KIK-IRPA https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/10002063-- There is no trace now of the older font(s)."
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Pol Herman for bringing this site to our attention and for his help documenting it
COORDINATES
Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 50.62771, 5.0301
Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 50° 37′ 40″ N, 5° 1′ 48″ E