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 from stone 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 -

Here the words: "EGBERTO ORTDINAT(IONIS) SUE (carved in higher) ANNO II". (The church was consecrated by bishop) "Egbert in his second year of ordination".

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A detail from the lower part again. The lions are carved in a style, that is near to Byzantine artwork. Here is one of the two lions, of which only the head is visible. The tails of the neigbouring lions enter the lion´s mouth and leave the head again via the ears. The artist added impressive "ceremonial" tassels on to the lions´ tails.

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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

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