Beersel / Bersalis

Baptismal font of the 16th century listed and illustrated in BALaT KIK-IRPA [https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/27261] [accessed 19 February 2026]: "doopvont [...] steen [...] Date: 1501 - 1550"; the coat of arms on the front is identified as "Witthem[famille]".
The entry for this church in the Belgian Wikipedia [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sint-Lambertuskerk_(Beersel)] [accessed 19 February 2026] reports a late-15th century baptismal font bearing the coat of arms of the van Wittem family: "Het doopvont (eind 15e eeuw) bevat het wapen van de familie van Wittem."
A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 18 January 2026) informs: "https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sint-Lambertuskerk_(Beersel). The name Beersel was first mentioned in 847, as Bersalis. Nothing is known about the first church; it may have been founded as early as the 9th century.
The church was first mentioned in 1190. It was dependent on the parish of Sint-Genesius-Rode, and in 1190 its patronage was transferred from the Bishop of Cambrai to Forest Abbey. It was likely a half-timbered church. In 1276, the Duke of Brabant donated the tithes to the Abbey of Forêt.
Stone gothic church built by the van Witthem family (probably William 1445-1515), lords of Beersel (the tower bears their coat of arms). However, construction of this church was still ongoing in 1913. During the uprising of the people of Brussels against Emperor Maximilian of Austria, the church was destroyed in 1498. William van Witthem, Lord of Beersel, had declared himself in the emperor's camp. In 1585, it was destroyed again, this time by the iconoclasts. In 1730, the church was struck by lightning and burned down. A new church was built in 1913. Only the foundations and the 15th-century Gothic tower were spared. The church possesses the gravestones of Hendrik II van Wittem and Hendrik III van Wittem, dating from 1454 and 1515 respectively. Baptismal registers start in 1668. The baptismal font bears the coat of arms of the van Wittem family and was likely donated by Willem following the restoration of the church after its destruction in 1498. The stoup must date from the same period and also bears the van Wittem coat of arms. The brass lid of the baptismal font dates from 1774. https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/27261".