Freckenhorst - St. Bonifatius

A monastery was founded here by some Everward and his wife Geva around 854 as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the saxonian nobility. There are parallels to the abbey in Gandersheim, - only a few years younger - and as well a secular house for noble unmarried ladies.

The abbey existed upto 1812, and during centuries had a very colourful history. After Luther´s reformation the canonesses favoured to be "Lutherians" in future, so that some Anabaptists of the Muenster rebellion could find a secret asylum here for some years. Catholicism returned finally to Freckenhorst during the 17th century.

In 1116 the collegiate and the church burnt down. A new church was built. This new church got consecrated in 1129 by Egbert, bishop in Muenster, a relative of and advisor to Lothair III.


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The most valuable jewel within this great romanesque collegiate church is this baptismal font. Quoting late Georg Dehio, one of the great german art-historians, this is "the most important baptismal of the 12th century" in Germany, "a goldwork in stone".

Over a "greek" base, two carved bands going all around. Inbetween is an inscription telling us the exact date of the consecration of the church: - 04. June 1129 -

Seen here the first (ANNO) and the last (TEMPLUM) word of the inscription.

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A detail from the lower part. This lower part depicts lions, carved in a style probably influenced by Byzantine art. Four of the lions seem are pressed down, having turned their heads - snarling. Of two lions only the heads are shown, the tails of the other lions run through these heads. Inbetween these lions stands a bearded man with nice curls. His hands rest relaxed on the brim.
The lions around him seem to be creatures of hell, but he does not seen frightened. This may be Daniel in the lion´s den - or somebody in hell, knowing that he is saved, by what is depicted on the upper part.


Sorry for the bad quality of the photos. To take them on a afternoon in winter was not a good idea, but I could not wait for better light in spring, so I used a torchlight...

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More interesting details can be found in:

Kirche und Stift Freckenhorst,
Jubilaeumsschrift zur 850. Wiederkehr des Weihetages der Stiftskirche am 04. Juni 1979, Warendorf 1979