St. Martin's Church Berlare

Planted on the triangular village square. Formerly with surrounding cemetery. According to J. Maestertius in "Beschrijvinge vande Stadt ende Landt van Dendermonde", from 1646, there used to be in the cemetery around the church on the south side "a chapel, separated from the church, founded over a few hundred years, of the van der Neesen family." This chapel, which probably dates back to the first domanial church belonging to the Vroenhof, was destroyed during the iconoclasm in 1566. In 1879 the city council decided to build a new cemetery on the Molenhoek. In 1882 the new cemetery was inaugurated.
In 1905, architect Sterckx (Dendermonde) was commissioned to beautify the village square and to redesign the old cemetery. The old cemetery was dismantled in 1907. The old cemetery walls were finally demolished when the church was renovated in 1912 and replaced by an iron fence designed by Alexis Sterckx in 1910. In 2006, cast-iron grave crosses were moved from the cemetery to the old cemetery to the side of the church.
Until 1559 the parish of Berlare belonged to the diocese of Tournai and the archdeanery of Ghent, until 1721 to the deanery of Waas and then to the deanery of Dendermonde. The oldest mention of the church dates back to 1268, when Father Christaen was appointed by the bishop of Tournai. No traces of the oldest church have been preserved. All that remains of the Gothic church is the current west part with the sandstone tower from the 15th century and the first bay of the aisles. In 1680 the St. Martin's Chapel was enlarged. In 1716, the roof of the church was destroyed by a storm. Because the church was so dilapidated, the nave was renovated between 1719 and 1724 in a sober Baroque style. The church was consecrated on 8 October 1724 by Philippus Van der Noot, bishop of Ghent. In 1754, the west tower was provided with a new outer portal. In 1872 the sacristies on both sides of the choir were modified and restored according to the plans of architect August Van Assche (1826-1907) from Ghent.
In 1908 it was decided to enlarge and renovate the church according to a design by architect Henri Valcke (Ledeberg). From 1910 onwards, the choir, the three-aisled nave and the transept were completely renovated under the direction of contractor Adolf Naessens (Ledeberg). Of the original Gothic church, only the crossing tower, the central nave and the first bay of the side aisles have been preserved. The outer portal from 1754, which was built against the west tower, was removed. The new church was consecrated by the parish priest on April 6, 1911 and consecrated by Mgr. Antoon Stillemans on September 14, 1911. In 1923 a design was made for the interior painting of the church in neo-Gothic style. The stained-glass windows were made in the 1930s in the studio of Henri Coppejans in Ghent, restored by the same workshop in 1951 after the war damage. In 1977 the roofs were repaired as a result of storm damage and the existing boiler room was also adapted by architect F. Weyers from Sint-Niklaas. In 1979, the interior of the church was painted over monochrome.
Until 1559 the parish of Berlare belonged to the diocese of Tournai and the archdeanery of Ghent, until 1721 to the deanery of Waas and then to the deanery of Dendermonde.
The oldest mention of the church dates back to 1268, when Father Christaen was appointed by the bishop of Tournai. No traces of the oldest church have been preserved. All that remains of the Gothic church is the current west part with the sandstone tower from the 15th century and the first bay of the aisles. In 1680 the St. Martin's Chapel was enlarged. In 1716, the roof of the church was destroyed by a storm. Because the church was so dilapidated, the nave was renovated between 1719 and 1724 in a sober Baroque style. The church was consecrated on 8 October 1724 by Philippus Van der Noot, bishop of Ghent. In 1754, the west tower was provided with a new outer portal. In 1872 the sacristies on both sides of the choir were modified and restored according to the plans of architect August Van Assche (1826-1907) from Ghent. In 1908 it was decided to enlarge and renovate the church according to a design by architect Henri Valcke (Ledeberg). From 1910 onwards, the choir, the three-aisled nave and the transept were completely renovated under the direction of contractor Adolf Naessens (Ledeberg). Of the original Gothic church, only the crossing tower, the central nave and the first bay of the side aisles have been preserved. The outer portal from 1754, which was built against the west tower, was removed. The new church was consecrated by the parish priest on April 6, 1911 and consecrated by Mgr. Antoon Stillemans on September 14, 1911. In 1923 a design was made for the interior painting of the church in neo-Gothic style. The stained-glass windows were made in the 1930s in the studio of Henri Coppejans in Ghent, restored by the same workshop in 1951 after the war damage. In 1977 the roofs were repaired as a result of storm damage and the existing boiler room was also adapted by architect F. Weyers from Sint-Niklaas. In 1979, the interior of the church was painted over monochrome.
The plan reveals a three-aisled nave of five bays with a projecting west side, formed by the west tower and the first bay of the aisles of the old church; projecting transept arms of one bay at the level of the third bay of the nave, flanking sacristy and storerooms between the transept and the choir, a high choir with two side choirs, each with a three-sided choir closing.
The old west part of the church from the 15th century is built in sand-lime brick. The neo-Gothic church section of 1910-1911 is built of orange-coloured brick masonry with the use of sand-lime brick for the high plinth, the window frames and the finishing of the buttresses. The monumental west tower on a square floor plan is flanked on both sides by the first bay of the low aisles of the old church. On the south side of the tower, a smaller three-storey polygonal stair tower has been added. Sandstone west tower from the 15th century of four sections indicated by cornices, between carved buttresses under slate tent roof with crowning wrought iron cross and weathercock. Scaffolding holes under the roof cornice. Central arched portal in a profiled frame with crowning water moulding. Above it is a large pointed arched window with neo-Gothic tripartite tracery and in the fourth section two pointed arched reverberation holes under circumferential cornices. In the façade of the right aisle there are two narrow light openings. The side walls of the old aisles on limestone plinth are marked by a gabled dormer window and a pointed arched window with two-part tracery. Under the window of the south aisle, in front of a bricked-up doorway, hangs a diamond-shaped grave slab for pastor Frans Wieme from 1785.
The west façades of the aisles of the new church building have gables and a large pointed arched window with tripartite neo-Gothic tracery and small, rectangular attic windows at the top. The side elevations and transept gables have wide similar pointed arch windows with five-part tracery between carved buttresses with limestone slabs. In the east façade of the south transept arm are two gable stones with the inscription "anno 1910". The south aisle has beyond the transept arm a small extended side porch with a gabled gable and a large two-storey sacristy with a gable, with rectangular four-light and a neo-Gothic pointed arch window of the rood screen on the first floor. In the armpit of the sacristy, polygonal stair turret under needle spire, towards the rood screen. To the right, storage room with rectangular wall openings under a gable roof. On the north aisle, against the fourth and fifth bays, a storage room has been added with a rectangular window and a convex frame in the north façade, both with relieving arches. High and side choirs are accentuated by carved corner buttresses and pointed arched windows with tracery.
Currently whitewashed interior with floor tiles of polished bluestone and black marble. Nave with round-arched arches enriched with mirror panels on natural stone columns on octagonal bases and with Tuscan capitals, at the level of the chancel bundled pillars with a leaf capital. The preserved central nave of 1719 is vaulted with dome vaults separated by belted arches decorated with coffers set on volute consoles, vaulted surfaces in stucco decorated with curled motifs. Side aisles and choirs vaulted with cross rib vaults with sandstone ribs whose central part is polychromed with red and golden yellow geometric patterns. In the old aisle to the left of the west tower, the wooden baroque baptismal font closure of 1764 has been preserved, attributed to Jan-Frans Allaert (1703-1779) from Ghent. Next to the side porch, memorial stone with the inscription: "In remembrance/ of the rebuilding of this church/ in the year O.H.J.Ch. 1910/ The Church Council:/ Jozef Van Impe pastor/ G. Van Den Berghe, burgem./ Leo De Dijn chairman/ R. Nachtergaele, secr./ Ivo De Keyzer, J. Van Den Breen, Edm. Abbeel, members, H. Valcke bouwmeester/ A. Naessens ondernemer." In the old aisle on the right hangs a brass plaque with the names of the Berlaars fallen during World War I. Against the south side portal are two commemorative plaques in memory of the Berlaars scheutist Armand Heirman, who died in the Chinese Boxer Rebellion in 1900, and in memory of Benedictine Albert Peleman, murdered in South Africa in 1999.
The stained-glass windows from the 1930s by Hendrik Coppejans, dated and provided with the names of the donors, were restored in 1951 by his son Daniel Coppejans after the war damage to the still existing cartons. In the choir: Saint Martin with a Beggar (1931), Saint Charles Borromeo and Our Lady (1931), Holy Family (1935), Christ as the Good Shepherd (1935), The Supper at Emmaus, Mary Appearing to Bernadette at Lourdes (1935), The Annunciation to Mary (1941), The Birth of Jesus (1936), Andreas Avellinus and Saint Sophia (1931); in the baptistery: Baptism of Jesus (1932), in the west façade: Jesus on the cross (1939).
Mobile. Paintings: The Lance Sting, copy of Rubens' Crucifixion, Flemish School from the 17th century. Christmas scene or the Nativity of Jesus, Flemish school of 1792. Christ on the Cross, painted on panel, first half of the 17th century. Sculptures. Wooden bust of Saint Martin from the 18th century. Saint Barbara, neo-Gothic polychrome wooden statue. Polychrome plaster statues of saints on consoles on the walls: Teresa of Lisieux, Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus, Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Rita, Saint Anthony Abbot with a pig, Saint Benedict, Saint Anne, mother of Mary. Saint Francis Xavier, Sacred Heart of Mary, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ecce Homo. Neo-Gothic Stations of the Cross from the studio of Léon Bressers (Ghent). Furniture: Most of the church furniture was renewed after the construction of the neo-Gothic church. The new furniture was ordered from the Sinaeve-D'hondt workshop in Ghent in 1911 and largely installed in 1916. Main and side altars in neo-Gothic style with a white stone altar and wooden altarpiece. Main altar in honour of Jesus Christ, with the representation of the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and the Entombment in relief. South side altar of St. Martin in polychrome oak with scenes from the life of the saint. North side altar of Our Lady with polychrome scenes from the life of Mary. Neo-Gothic oak communion rail. Neo-Gothic choir stalls. Pulpit from the 18th century in Louis XVI style; The round tub is decorated with grisailles representing the four evangelists with their symbols. The oak statues of Peter, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist and Eve or Mary of Egypt under the pulpit originally belonged to a confessional, probably purchased in 1719 from Guillaume Kerrick (+1719) or his son Willem-Ignaas (1688-1745) in Antwerp; The statues were placed under the pulpit in the 1930s. Two 18th-century confessionals, two confessionals in neo-Gothic style. Organ in rococo style, built in 1786 by Lambert Benoit Van Peteghem (Ghent), protected as a monument by Royal Decree of 16.06.1978.
In 1903 the Vereecken brothers (Gijzegem) built a new instrument behind the existing organ, using the existing pipework. In the end, only the balustrade and the furniture of the Van Peteghem organ were preserved. After the construction of the neo-Gothic part of the church, the former rood screen at the back of the church was removed in 1915 and the organ was moved to a niche above the sacristy. In the 1980s the organ was restored by G. Potvlieghe-De Maeyer (Denderwindeke) to the original Van Peteghem organ and placed back in the 18th-century organ case. Baptismal font of bluestone with copper lid, now installed in the south aisle under the organ rood screen. Poor master's bench from the 17th century. Churchwardens' bench from the 18th century. Processional banner from the 19th century depicting Francis Xavier, patron saint of missionaries.
Tombstone of Count de Lichtervelde and Countess Vaernewyck d'Angest with their arms, from 1859, against the wall of the south aisle, originally placed in a burial chapel south of the church, presumably designed by architect L. Minard. Tombstone in the choir of J. B. Vanden Meersche, lord of Berlare, died in 1747. Stone plaque of Mr. August René Veldeman, Knight of the Order of Leopold, Mayor of Berlare from 1855 to 1877.

Stichting Open Kerken