Gravestone Bourguignon

This gravestone is located on the site of the castle farm in memory of Gérard Bourguignon (1927-2010) and Hélène Degrez (1032-2020).

The castle belonged to the Lamock family, lords of Gros-Fays, but also of Sohier and Botassart. It is an unfortified castle farm. Two square towers can still be seen at the rear of the inhabited part, but it is the farm across the road that became one of the two most important farms of the canton of Orchimont in the early 18th century. This building is said to have been built at the end of the 17th century, as stated on a plaque with a coat of arms from 1684. The inhabitants were farmers. The castle was sold during the Revolution and the Bourguignon family has lived here since 1860. The brewery was set up in the right wing of the castle around 1880 after the closure of the Moreau brewery.

At the front of the brewery there was a well. A large pump supplied the brewery with water. Barrels were used to store the beer. At that time there were barrel makers in all villages.

The brewery probably closed its doors after the First World War, either when the father died in 1918, or after the Germans took the copper installation with them in 1916. It is also said that an underground passageway connected the castle to the church. At that time, that was a common escape route.

Willem Vandenameele