Fountain-the Bishop (in Walloon Fontinne-l'-Eveke ) is a French-speaking city of Belgium located in Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut.

At July 1st 2005, the total population of this commune is of 16.756 inhabitants (7 982 men and 8.774 women). The total surface area is of 28,59 km ².

Geography

Fountain-the Bishop is a city of the Hainaut, in French-speaking Belgium. It is located to 9 km in the west of Charleroi, on the N90 road towards Mons. It is to approximately 50 km in the south of Brussels and 15 km in the east of Binche. It belongs to black Country, or Country of Charleroi, which is marked by its past industrialist, coal mining and iron and steel industry. Fountain lodged mines and the Terrils are still visible.

Fountain is crossed by a brook, Babelonne, which is thrown in Ernelle, which joined the Sambre. It is thus in the catchment area of the Meuse. South of the entity, with Leernes, is delimited by the Sambre with the Abbaye of Alder.

Since the fusion of the communes, the entity of Fountain-the Bishop also contains the old ones communes of Leernes and Forchies-the-Walk. It is located between the communes of Courcelles, in north, of Charleroi, in the east, of Anderlues in the west and Gozée in the south.

Inheritance

  • the castle of Fountain-the Bishop, called Bivort castle, lodges the municipal authorities.
  • the gasometer of Pierre-Camille Montigny (1827)
  • the park of Fountain, close to (old castle of Haussy), the watch village hall of very beautiful Beech S crimsons and ruin of the convent of Récollets.
  • the Museum of the Mine, in the old undergrounds of the castle
  • the Museum of the Nail
  • the church Saint-Christophe, classified, is in repair with the assistance of the Walloon region

Economy

During the first part of the 20th century, coal mining, wire-drawing mills and nail factories made the richness of the city. (to be supplemented)

Folklore

  • the Carnaval of Fontaine takes place with the Laetare, in the middle of the Lent. Fontainois make the Gille, as with Binche.
  • the Carnival also exists in Forchies, there with place second Sunday which follows fatty Tuesday.
  • Chaudeau de Leernes-Wespes, old tradition is held the first weekend of July.
  • the Walk of the Virgin of Forchies (ravelled in military uniform) with place every Whit Monday. The procession in itself goes back to 1159.

Famous characters

Twinning

History of the lords of Fountains the Bishop

The first lords were acknowledged of Leernes then about 1182 the first to carry the title of lord of Fountains was Wauthier 1st, he had married Béatrix de Viesvilles girl of Raoul and Pétronille de Rumigny. He died in 1186.

His/her oldest son Wauthier II, acknowledged of Leernes and lord of Fountains married Basilia de Condet girl of Roger and Alix of Mons (act. avr. 1204,1211,1245), it had as oldest son Wauthier III who died before his father about 1235. The heritage returned to Nicolas, his brother who was priest, archdeacon with Valencians, Cambric canon then Cambric bishop, chancellor of the Saint Worsens Roman Germanic in 1257, high solicitor of Gilly and lord of Fountains. it is as from this moment that this city was called; Fountain-the Bishop. He died on March 8th, 1272. The weapons of all these lords were of azure to the eagle of gold béquée and membrée of mouths to the cotice in of the same band.

It designated as heiress, her sister Mahaut de Fontaines who had married Baudouin de Henin-Liétard wire of Baudouin lord of Cuincy and of Marie rams of Henin. The seigniory of Fountain-the Bishop thus passes in the family of Henin. This Baudouin leaves in crusade with Louis IX known as St Louis and with this intention sells his seigniory of Henin in 1244 with Robert d' Artois and his seigniory of Vitry with the bishop of Arras. He carries as weapons of mouths to the gold band. His/her Baudouin son will carry the same weapons and will marry Isabelle de Hainaut rams of Sebourg, Angres, Fayt, girl of Philippe de Hainaut and Marie de Streppy. (widow it will remariera herself in Arnould d' Audenaerde)

The oldest son is called also Baudouin, is baron of Fountain-the Bishop, lord of Sebourg and of Walk, he will marry Mahaut of Luxembourg from which he will écatellera the weapons; he like will thus have quartered; in 1 and 4 of mouths to the gold band and in 2 and 3 one burelé of 10 azure and silver coins to lion of mouths crowned, armed and lampassé of gold stitching on the whole. Its cimier was a stopped lion of issuant gold mouths crowned of an of the same crown. Its capeline was with the weapons of Luxembourg. It had 4 children whose elder one, Baudouin married Aliénor d' Aspremont girl of Godefroid III and Isabelle de Quiévrain. Its weapons were the same ones as his/her father.

He did not have wire legitimate but a girl of the name of Isabelle who married Robert de Condet or cop lord of Bellœuil and Morialmé. The seigniory of Fountains-the Bishop thus passed in this family. It carried as weapons vairy out of rafter to two rafters of mouths. his/her son Jean de Condet was baron de Fontaines the Bishop, lord of Condet, Morialmé, Stambruges, par of Liege, baron of St Worsens Germanic Romain, married Marie of Luxembourg-Ligny girl of Guy and Mahaut de Chatillon.

He had bastard and two girls who were chanoiness in Holy-Waudru in Mons; Eléonore and Catherine who inherited her sister. When she died, the goods were divided in three shares. It is Jean II of Henin-Liétard which inherits the seigniory of Fountain-the Bishop for his heir Baudouin lord to Sebourg and Melent, wire of Gerard de Henin and Isabeau d' Aspremont. The seigniory of Fountain-the Bishop thus turns over in the family of Henin but the branch of Boussus.

Notes and references of the article

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