Basecles / Basilicae / Basseccle / Bassècles / Bazècles

Bptismal font of the 16th century listed and illustrated in BALaT KIK-IRPA [https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/10052275] [accessed 19 Februaty 2026]: "fonts baptismaux [...] gothique [...] hauteur: 122 cm [...] cf. couvercle IRPA nº 10052276".
A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 25 January 2026) informs: "Basilicae, Bazècles, Bassècles, Basseccle. A charter issued by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry III in 1040 at Liège confirms the transfer to the property of the abbey of Saint-Ghislain of: villae nomine Basilicas. This name likely refers to a Frankish villa, probably Carolingian in origin. The possession of the altar of Basècles (and its dependencies of Wadelincourt, Ellignies, and Waudignies) was confirmed to the abbey of Saint-Ghislain in a charter issued at Clermont on November 26, 1096, by Pope Urban II. In 1110, the bishop of Cambrai, Odo of Tournai, confirmed that the abbey of Saint-Ghislain possessed the altar of Basècles with its dependencies: Wadelincourt, Ellignies, and Waudignies. In a charter issued in Capua in 1118 by Pope Gelasius II, is mentionned: “.. de Basécles cum aecclesia et appendiciis suis Guadelencurth, Hellies, Gualdineis..." Around 1170, count Baldwin IV "the Builder" (count from 1120 to 1171), or his son count Baldwin V (1171-1195), gave the "county" of Basècles with all its dependent rights to the same monastery. The village, located right next to the Roman road from Bavai to Cologne, had a town council as early as 1165, which was dependent on the capital of Valenciennes. The village had a fortified castle, and the original church was probably the castle chapel. The castle was destroyed in 1478 by the French troops of Louis XI. The first parish priest mentioned in the parish records was appointed before 1363. In 1981, excavations uncovered the remains of a medieval church dating from the 14th century. A funerary bas-relief in the church porch, with a Gothic epitaph, depicts Simon de le Val, who died in 1407. Between 1554 and 1557, the village was pillaged by the armies of Henry II, King of France, at war with Charles V. Damage was inflicted by Huguenots in 1579. Following a petition issued on February 1, 1771, by the village's legal representatives, the abbots of Saint-Ghislain decided to build a new church to replace the old one, which had become too small. Construction began in 1779, under Dom Amand Cazier, abbot of the monastery and Count of Basècles. New church completed in 1782. Baptismal records from 1708 onwards. Octagonal, limestone, renaissance, Hainaut-type baptismal font, 16th c. https://balat.kikirpa.be/object/10052275".