Beverhoutschapel

On the corner of Veldkapellestraat and Beverhoutstraat is a heritage gem: the Beverhoutskapel. This neo-Gothic Lady Chapel in red brick has a slate saddle roof. The pointed arch door in the front, like the other carpentry in a striking reddish-brown colour, is flanked by two blind windows. On both sides are two windows, while the back is three-sided. On top of the chapel is a small bell tower that is crowned with a wrought-iron cross. On the ridge of the roof at the back there is an ornamental cross.

Upon entering the chapel, the polychromed statue of the Virgin Mary in a statue niche catches the eye. On the altar below you will find flowers and a container for sacrificial candles. A dozen or so prayer chairs complete the interior. On the left wall, two wooden boards commemorate the battle for Moerbrugge in September 1944. After the liberation the partly destroyed chapel was rebuilt. At the turn of the millennium, renovation work was carried out again. The narrow path around the chapel was also rebuilt and a new bell was hung in the empty bell frame.

For a long time, a myth circulated about the origins of the chapel. A text from around 1650 mentions that the parish church of the seigniory of Beveren would have stood on this spot. However, this text is extremely implausible. No other older, reliable historical source mentions a church in this area. Another hypothesis refers to the popular custom of building a chapel on the edge of a Common Meadow, such as the Beverhoutsveld. Recent genealogical research, however, has shed new light on the chapel's genesis. In the inventory, which was drawn up upon the death of the farmer Pieter Boey on 21 March 1742, it is mentioned that the deceased, on his sickbed, had expressly ordered the construction of a small chapel on the Bverhoutsveld. According to the estate description, the field chapel must have been built in 1743. After all, the costs of its construction are accounted for in detail.

Although the chapel was assigned to the municipality of Oostkamp in 1902, it is located on Beernem territory. It is a stone witness to our popular religious culture and devotion. This religious heritage is part of our national identity and must be cherished and valued. The chapel still plays an important role in the recreational and touristic development of Beernem and the region. In 2002, the chapel was set up as an educational place about nature. On this occasion, two picnic tables were placed in the lawn next to the chapel. The chapel is always open to the public and is therefore a much-visited place, partly due to its location along the recreational cycle network of the Bruges region. Centuries old, but socially still relevant: a top piece in a top location.

Willem Vandenameele