Church of our Lady of the Nativity

To the east and south surrounded by cemetery, expanded in 1847 and 1899. In 1863 construction of a bone house and a calvary in the cemetery and placement of the now disappeared iron fence around the cemetery. Old church ascending to 1122, when a place of worship was founded by Gijzelbrecht, abbot of Ename, by order of the Count of Flanders and with the permission of Godebald, bishop of Utrecht. The parish church certainly existed before 1179 (appointment of parish priest). The "big tithe lifters" were the abbot of St. Peter's Abbey and the abbess of Nieuwenbossche Abbey. Destroyed circa 1580 by the Calvinists. Partially restored in the first half of the 17th century. Also restored in 1751 and in 1760 under the direction of architect David't Kindt. The plan then showed a two-aisled transeptless church with west portal and baptistery to the south. Rebuilt in 1770-1772 at the expense of the large tithe lifters as a single-aisled church of four bays with protruding western building and transept of two bays and a flat enclosed choir and sacristy. Afterwards, the church was vaulted, the choir enlarged and the façade renewed. Rededication on 8 September 1774 by Bishop of Eersel. New enlargement in 1844-45 by adding two side mouches of four bays and new west tower under the direction of architect Louis Minard. Tower blown up on 22 May 1940, renewed in 1953-56 under the direction of Henri Vaerwyck. The floor plan unfolds a three-aisled hall church of four bays under separate shield and gable roofs, a projecting western building with storage, portal and baptistery respectively, stairs to rood screen in armpit of baptistery and aisle, a non-protruding transept and a choir with three-sided closure flanked by sacristy and storage room, both under mansard roofs. Sober brick building with use of bluestone and sandstone for the plinth. Visible seam between transept (18th century) and aisles (19th century). Modern western building with square tower of six sections; rectangular doors with cornice, above main entrance stone statue of Our Lady by Frans Tinel (1957), rectangular opening on each articulation, clockwork and sandstone clock floor under tent roof. A reused cornerstone in the plinth of the façade of the left aisle recalls the reconstruction of circa 1771. Against the same façade is also a war memorial with a bronze relief signed "Vits, sculpteur Melle, bronze foundry Vindevogel, Gendbrugge". In the west façade of the right aisle is a statue of Saint Cornelius in a niche with a bluestone relief of Vits underneath. Side facades illuminated by high-placed arched windows. Underneath, in 1887, mitre-high niches with painted terracotta lives were installed with the fifteen Statutes of the Holy Rosary, used for the circumnavigation of Saint Cornelius. Interior. Plastered and painted (cream and white). Rhythmed by round arched arcade on pillars with rectangular base and frame capital, decorated with statues of saints, and in transept on Tuscan columns with round plinth. Three naves and transept with cross rib vaulting with keystones in the shape of a pomegranate, bays separated by girdle arches with casements resting on rocaille corbels, the vault of the nave is probably from around 1772. Windows on the inside encased in belted frame. Mobilair. Paintings: Settlement of the Cross by Ph. Beernaert after A. Van Dyck from 1623 above the main altar; Assumption of Mary by N. De Liemaecker (or Roose), first half of the 17th century; Glorification of Saint Cornelius, 19th century. Four tondos from the 19th century in the choir. Wooden 19th-century portico altars, main altar donated in 1869. New altar made with the doors of the communion bench in 1968. Oak communion bench, copy to the 18th century. Oak pulpit, hanging from column on the right corner of the choir and transept accessible by a staircase and door in the sacristy, formerly on the left corner of the choir and thus already mapped in 1770. Two oak confessionals from the 19th century. Formerly organ of 1857 by E. Lovaert, new organ of the company Loncke dedicated in 1962. Marble baptismal font of 1865. Neo-Gothic Stations of the Cross with white-painted bas-reliefs, renewed and restored in 1884 by Mathias Zens. In 1872 two stained glass windows by Van Crombrugge-De Keukelaere were placed in the choir, in 1900 ten new stained glass windows by J. Casier. Tombstones of pastor J.R. Remeus (died in 1767) and of pastor P. Hacke (died in 1856) are placed in the calvary chapel, r. next to it in the cemetery wall, tombstone of pastor F.J. Meys (died 1743).

Onroerend Erfgoed Vlaanderen