Spermalie embankment farm with loose components

Spermalieweg no. 25. Historical fortified farm "Spermalie", established around 1300 as an abbey farm associated with the Spermalie Abbey founded in 1241, destroyed in 1578-1579. The current farm buildings probably date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. History. The Spermalie Abbey in Sijsele finds its origin in the establishment around 1200 of a chapel in honor of Saint Peter on the territory of Slijpe by a noblewoman named Gela, with the intention of founding a monastery there. This monastery is established on newly reclaimed land in Honkevliet - later known as Sint-Pieterskapelle - on the right bank of the IJzer, hence also called "Nieuwland Abbey." In 1234-1235, the community formally joins the Cistercian order. Count's official Egidius van Breedene (ca. 1180-1270), who works for the count and owns a estate next to Male Castle (Sint-Kruis), purchases the Spermalie domain, located on the border with Vivenkapelle and Moerkerke, from Willem van Oostkerke, who holds the property from the Count of Flanders. The documents drawn up on this occasion are the oldest texts in which the name Spermalie or "Sparemailge" appears ("spaeremaelghen" = drained marsh). This estate is connected via an ancient sheep path to the other properties of the Lords of Oostkerke, namely from south to north the estate "Bonem" (cf. Damme, Bonemstraat), the castle and the village mill of Oostkerke (cf. Oostkerke, Spegelsweg, and Eienbroekstraat), and finally the lands in the lordship of the Sint-Pieters Abbey in Oostkerke, which the family owns in the 14th-15th centuries. Also, a reclamation road established by the Ghent Sint-Pieters Abbey through the vast salt marshes, connecting the properties, particularly the Spermalie domain and the sheep pasture in Oostkerke. By 1231 at the latest, Egidius manages to free the Spermalie domain from all feudal and fiscal obligations resting upon it. He already builds a stone manor house on the northeastern corner of the estate in 1235 and expands it by purchasing lands from the Lord of Rostune and in 1240 from Heindrik, Lord of Viven. In July 1239, he donates his estate to the Cistercian order, on the condition that they move their monastery from Slijpe to Sijsele. Between 1241 and 1243, the abbey is transferred to Sijsele. Egidius van Breedene retains the usufruct and continues to live on the estate. Between 1247 and 1259, a new monastery and a church (1257-1259) are built, in which Egidius has a tomb for himself established in the choir. Although the institution officially receives the name "New Jerusalem" or "Beata Maria de Jerusalem," "Spermalie Abbey" will become the most common designation from then on. From this period dates the miraculous 13th-century statue of Mary that is now venerated in the Bruges Beguinage Church and of which a copy is located in the current Sint-Martinus Church (cf. Dorpsstraat). Around 1300, the abbey farm is established on the lower farm, west of the abbey buildings. According to tradition, this is considered a property of the Knights Templar, and a network of secret corridors runs from the farm to, among others, the Court of Bresende in Maldegem, the Castle of Sijsele and Rijckevelde, the Churchland of Sijsele, the Abbey property Zoetendale of Maldegem, and the so-called Red Kaproen forests in Sijsele. The reclamation of the Zwin marshland, with Egidius van Breedene as mediator, is the starting point for an extensive landholding of the abbey in the area northeast of Bruges; among other things, the reclamation of the Spermalie polder in the 13th century, through which the storm surge of 1134 swallowed Lapscheure, of which the old parish church was located in this polder, is rebuilt (cf. Lapscheure). At the end of the 15th to the beginning of the 16th century, it is mentioned for the first time that young girls receive education in the abbey and that elderly women are also admitted. In 1469 and 1482, restoration works are done to the oil mill associated with the abbey. In 1496, a fire breaks out in the abbey; it is unknown which buildings are damaged. At the beginning of the 16th century, a barn of the Sijsele abbey farm is transferred to the leased property "ter Nonnen" in Lapscheure, which has fallen into disrepair. In the first quarter of the 16th century, restoration works take place at the abbey buildings, including the installation of new church pews in the abbey church in 1523-1524. Archival sources and old maps depict the Spermalie Abbey as an impressive, entirely moated building complex, accessible via a stone gatehouse and driveway in the northwest, along which lies a vineyard and a pond. At the access driveway, on the north side of Brieversweg, stands the so-called "Spermaliemolen," evidenced and mentioned on the map of Pieter Pourbus (1561-1571), which is operated by the abbey itself before the 16th century. The entire abbey domain is largely planted with forest; on the north side, there are mainly meadows, the Spermaliemeersen, which are part of an originally extensive marshy basin on the border of Sijsele and Moerkerke. The easternmost part is the warande or "den hooghen ackere," partially situated on the territory of Moerkerke. A part of the Sijsele and Malevelds is also incorporated into the abbey domain. North of the domain is the upper farm, with the residence of the former founder, also called Hoge Wal or Mote, surrounded by a double wide moat. To the south is the so-called "nuns' house" where the abbess resides; to the east of this is the Provost Chapel. In the southeast corner of the domain are the abbey buildings, a rectangular courtyard with covered walkways around buildings and a single-nave church along the southern wing with the cemetery on the east side. The abbey buildings include, among others, a kitchen, large and small dining area, a hall with an upstairs dormitory, an infirmary with a hospital room and chapel of St. Vincent above it, a laundry, brewery with kiln, bakery, dairy and butcher shop, barn and wine cellar, stables, and a workshop for carpenters. There is also a residence for male staff, a guesthouse, a house for the prioress, and a residence for the confessor and chaplain. In the southwest corner of the domain, west of the abbey buildings, lies the lower farm with the abbey farm, which is enclosed by a ring earthwork. Throughout history, it is alternately operated by religious and a tenant, in contrast to the permanent leased farms that the abbey owns elsewhere. It concerns an important agricultural enterprise, which, alongside a grain mill, also has an oil mill, which, however, is disposed of shortly after its establishment due to high costs. The farm includes a residence, stables for horses, oxen, cows, sheep, and pigs, detached barns, a cart shed, horse mill, and pigeon loft. In addition to an orchard, there is a vegetable garden on the west side of the yard, with a well and pond that connects to the earthwork. During the war of the Beggars in 1578-1579, the Spermalie Abbey is completely destroyed; the nuns retreat to the refuge of the abbey of Ter Duinen in Bruges. The abbey buildings are not rebuilt. The remains of the construction are used for restoration works to the likewise demolished old Sint-Martinus Church and for constructing their new abbey in Bruges; later, among others, for raising the village mill or "Molen Lievens" in 1890 (cf. Nieuwe Weg no. 4). Only the fortified historical farm "Spermalie" (no. 25) remains. The former tenant Pieter Sabot, son of Gabriel Sabot, who lives in the farm of the former "Hof van Sijsele" and has the still preserved barn built in 1780 (cf. Meibosweg), becomes the owner. On the primitive cadastral plan (1834), the detached farm buildings around the yard are depicted, namely the residence with extensions to the north, the angular barn to the east, the parallel stable wing to the south, and a small stable building to the north of the residence. To the north of the farm, the former nuns' house is shown and the remnants of the earthwork of the upper farm. In 1943, new outbuildings are erected west of the residence and north of the barn; the small building north of the residence is extended on both the east and west sides. In 1947, the debris of the former nuns' house is cleared and added to the farm parcel. In 1954, a memorial chapel is built with some remains of the foundations of the old abbey at the northern corner of Spermalieweg and Stationsstraat. Between 1970-1976, excavations take place on the former domain of the abbey. Among the findings are remnants of the foundations of the Provost Chapel, shards of late medieval pottery, 13th-century construction remnants such as moefen, profiled bricks, sculpted natural stone fragments, floor tiles, etc. In 1984, renovation works take place at the farm buildings: the residence is expanded, the north side of the barn is renovated, and the stable south of the yard receives a northern extension and a new built hangar on the south side. In the 1990s, the farm undergoes several changes, including the construction of a new shed and extension to the stable, expansion of the outbuilding north of the residence, and demolition of the shed built in 1943 north of the barn. Description. Farm with detached components around largely hardened, partially paved, and hedge-enclosed yard. Formerly accessible via a driveway with a pond on the west side; the current treed driveway to the south goes back to an earlier southern exit. Remnants of fortification dating back to the original wide fortification around the abbey domain. The yard is dominated by an impressive tutelary or protective linden tree, also known as the so-called Templar or Abbey linden, reportedly dating from 1777, planted at the time of building a new residence on the spot of the 13th-century heir linden, which was struck by lightning. Centrally on the yard is the residence, with a front terrace and planted lawn, around the second quarter of the 20th century separated from the rest of the yard by a ajouré concrete fence. Single-storey, whitewashed anchored brick volume with a plastered plinth of six bays with an attic bay on the east side under an overhanging gable roof (ridge perpendicular to the access driveway; Flemish tiles), formerly crowned by a centrally worked bell-cot with a bell, disappeared in the second half of the 20th century. Arched wall openings; shutters. Disappeared thief irons from attic windows. Renewed woodwork replacing original woodwork with large muntin division. Door with arched transom. On the west side, a low extension under a mono-pitch roof. Reportedly, the interior contains, among others, preserved large fireplaces with profiled wooden mantelpieces and fireplace walls covered with tiles in Delft tradition with spider motifs in the corners; centrally built smaller 18th-century fireplace with a simple marble mantel. To the south, a parallel 18th-century stable building, whitewashed with a plastered plinth under an overhanging gable roof (Flemish tiles). Largely renovated yard facade, cf. recent extensions on the north side and large shed on the south side. West facade with round arch roof window with loading door. To the east of the yard, monumental angular detached barn with the oldest found inscription on the beam "1748", but likely dating from the 17th century. Barn with boarded yard and brick side facades under an overhanging gable roof on springers (ridge perpendicular to the residence; Flemish tiles). Double, closely placed driveways under raised roof overhang. Right, new gate opening. Stacked anchor beam frames. To the west of the residence, brick stable building from 1943 under a gable roof with slight roof overhang (ridge perpendicular to the residence; Flemish tiles); yard facade characterized by multi-part corner brick frieze. Renovated stable building north of the residence. ARCHIVES GRAND SEMINARY BRUGGE, Archive Abbey Spermalie, Registrations no. 795: Quaerte figurative ... of the Spermaillie tithe in Moerkerke to the Ardenbuchschen Wech and the Brievers Wech, drawn up by Octaviaen van Marissien and Franchois van Tortelboom, 1632. ARCHIVES GRAND SEMINARY BRUGGE, Archive Abbey Spermalie, no. 27: plan of the old abbey buildings, undated. CADASTRAL ARCHIVE WEST FLANDERS IN BRUGGE, 207: Change sketches, Sijsele, 1943/38, 1947/24, 1971/1, 1984/46, 1990/43, 1994/39. CADASTRAL ARCHIVE WEST FLANDERS IN BRUGGE, 223: Mutation states, Sijsele, 1943/222, 1947/230-232, 1984/330-332, 1990/361-363, 1994/95-96. ROYAL INSTITUTE FOR ART HERITAGE, Photo archive ACL, no. B145180, B145181, B145183, B145184 (1953). STATE ARCHIVE BRUGGE, Collection maps and plans Mestdagh, no. 1663: 11 parcel plans of the municipality of Sijsele, in four sections, Section D sheet 1, drawn up by Boudour G.J., ca. 1830. STATE ARCHIVE BRUGGE, Collection maps and plans Mestdagh, no. 1664: 14 parcel plans of the municipality Sijsele, in six sections, Section A division 3, ca. 1810. STATE ARCHIVE BRUGGE, Collection maps and plans Mestdagh, nos. 1673a and 1673b: Figurative maps of the old monastery, called Spermalie, with its adjoining properties, in the watering of Moerkerke-South-over-the-Lieve, owned by the abbey of "New Jerusalem", called "Spermalie," in Bruges, drawn up by A. Laurenz, copies from May 1798 of the original from July 1759, according to a map by Jacq. Lobbrecht from 1668. BALLEGEER J., Guide for the Zwin region, Nieuwkerken-Waas, 1999, p. 83. BLONDEEL C.; GODDYN P., Sijsele in old postcards, Zaltbommel, 1975, fig. 31. DENDOOVEN L., Villages in the Bruges plain, Lissewege, 1956, p. 26-27. DENORME C., Ecclesiastical history of Sijsele, in 1000 years Sijsele, Bruges, 1976, p. 51-66. GEIRNAERT N.; VANDAMME L., 600 years abbey. The historical roots of Spermalie in Bruges, in Exhibition catalog 800 years Spermalie, Bruges, 1986. MEULEMEESTER J.L., 800 years Spermalie in Bruges, in Ons Heem, vol. 41, no. 1, 1987, p. 6-12. RAU J., The Damme of then and surrounding area, Bruges, 1981, p. 120, 126. STRUBBE E.I.; MILIS L., Abbaye de Spermalie à Slype, then in Sijsele, then in Bruges, in Monasticon belge, vol. II, Liège, 1966, p. 447-478. TERRYN C., The wooden barn of the Hof van Sijsele. Grain barns in Damme and surrounding areas, Damme, 2005, p. 53, 63, 114. VAN BELLE R., Some tombstones from the former Spermalie Abbey in Sijsele, in Het Brugs Ommeland, 1984, no. 2, p. 93-102. VAN DEN BON A., From the history of the thousand-year-old Sijsele, in 1000 years Sijsele, Bruges, 1976, p. 22-27. VAN DER STICHELE G., Spermalie. Notes on the origins and history of the old Abbey of "Spermalie," Bruges, 1961. VAN POUCKE G., Archival images Damme, v.z.w. 't Zwin Rechteroever Territory Damme/Gloucestershire, 2003, p. 64. VERSTRAETE D., The habitation of Sijsele in the 17th century, in 1000 years Sijsele, Bruges, 1976, p. 106. VERSTRAETE D., Spermalie in the 16th century, in Bos en Beverveld, yearbook 1970, no. 12, p. 7-17. http://www.users.telenet.be/bomenmeteenverhaal/Belgie/WestVlaanderen

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