Escanaffles is a village in the Belgian municipality of Celles,

Hainaut Province Hainaut ( , also , ; ; ; ; ), historically also known as Heynault in English, is the westernmost province of Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium. To its south lies the French department of Nord, while within Belgium it borders ...

Geography

Escanaffles is on the east bank of the

Scheldt The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...

. The brook Rhosnes exits into the Scheldt just north of Escanaffles. Due to the canalization of the Scheldt some small areas of the former municipality are now on the other bank of the Scheldt.

History

According to the chronicle 'Annales Historiae Illustrium Principum Hannoniae' ("Annals of the History of Illustrious Princes of Hainaut") by

Jacques de Guyse Jacques de Guyse (Latin: ''Iacobus de Guisia''; 1334−1399) was a Franciscan historian of the County of Hainaut. Guyse was born in 1334 in Mons, Belgium, Mons in the County of Hainaut. After studying at the University of Paris, where he obtai ...

(1334−1399), Escanaffles was probably founded by

Ambiorix Ambiorix (Gaulish "king of the surroundings", or "king-protector") ( 54–53 BC) was, together with Cativolcus, prince of the Eburones, leader of a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul (Gallia Belgica), where modern Belgium is located. In the ...

as the fortress Catavulcus to protect a crossing the Scheldt. This is not a reliable story, but one can assume that De Guyse noted something at Escanaffles. In 1363 a 'fortresse d'Escanaffles' was mentioned. Later, others reported that Escanaffles had been founded as a Viking fortress. In the mid-nineteenth century, a site named 'Field of Grand Breucq' called 'Fort d'Escanaffles' was identified opposite the village church. In 1872 the Escanaffles Sugar Factory was founded. It was closed down in 1990. Until 1977, Escanaffles was a separate municipality. Its independence was ended by the

Fusion of the Belgian municipalities The fusion of the Belgian municipalities (French: ''fusion des communes'', Dutch: ''fusie van Belgische gemeenten'') was a Belgian political process that rationalized and reduced the number of municipalities in Belgium between 1964 and 1983. In 1 ...

, after which it became part of Celles municipality.

Escanaffles today

The Escanaffles Sugar Factory was closed down in January 1990. It was then repurposed to house Finasucre's lactic acid producing daughter Galactic. Galactic was founded in 1994 and focuses on lactic acid derivatives that inhibit the growth of bacteria. This improves food safety and preservation. The church of Escanaffles dates from about 1100 and is situated on a round churchyard. The tower on the west side dates from 1775. It is followed by an important Romanesque

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

from the 11th or early 12th century. It is followed by three 16th century naves of equal height, making it a

hall church A hall church is a Church (building), church with a nave and aisles of approximately equal height. In England, Flanders and the Netherlands, it is covered by parallel roofs, typically, one for each vessel, whereas in Germany there is often one s ...

. The

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

extends on all three naves, which are closed by an

apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...

. In the interior, the southern apse shows two fragments of a repurposed 12th century

Baptismal font A baptismal font is an Church architecture, ecclesiastical architectural element, which serves as a receptacle for baptismal water used for baptism, as a part of Christian initiation for both rites of Infant baptism, infant and Believer's bapti ...

of the Tournai font type, showing birds picking grapes. The municipal cemetery has the grave of the Australian

Flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

Thomas Baker and 2nd lieutenant J. G. Leckenby.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * {{cite web , date=29 December 2007 , access-date=5 July 2023 , title=Graven van Capt Thomas C.R. Baker, Sopwith Snipe E8062 4 Sqn AFC, en 2Lt J.G. Leckenby, RE8 C2774 4 Sqn RAF , website=Hangar Flying , url=https://www.hangarflying.eu/erfgoedsites/graven-van-capt-thomas-c-r-baker-sopwith-snipe-e8062-4-sqn-afc-en-2lt-j-g-leckenby-re8-c2774-4-sqn-raf/ , ref={{sfnref, ''Hangar Flying'', 2007 Former municipalities of Hainaut (province)