Former alderman's house and jaw

Former town hall or "Hooghe huus" of the seigneury of Male, dating back to the middle of the 16th century, protected as a monument by Ministerial Decree of 04/07/96. Iconic corner building in the centre of Male, located southwest of the abbey and now functioning as a gatehouse. The seigneury of Male is part of the Liberty of Bruges, and is legally and administratively independent. Before the seigneury became a barony, there was already a house called "het hooghe huus", where the law was discussed. The house has been described as an "ofsteide within the village in Male... On the houc of the Strate... jeghens over the canal of the casteele". In 1560, under Jean Lopez Gallo, the seigneury was elevated to the status of a barony. The mayor of Male, Louis de Ghistele, bought the house in 1566. The "hooghe huus" is now also called "stadhuys". A thorough repair followed, with the establishment of an "aldermen's room". The town hall has a "civile ghevanghenisse" in the basement for minor crimes, in addition, the castle has a "pit ofte steen". Until the sale of the property in 1799, the house was leased. The tenant, who also ran an inn, was also a jailer and herdsman (1574) and a caretaker (17th century). During the religious troubles, at the end of the 16th century, the town hall suffered serious damage. The meetings took place in Bruges and the town hall certainly remained in disuse between 1600 and 1612. Once peace had returned, the baron had the looted town hall repaired, which was certainly completed in 1662. The wing perpendicular to the alderman's house was converted into a brewery in the 17th century. At the corner of the old building there will be a niche with a statue of the Virgin and Child. Baron François Claesman (between 1710-1769) had the aldermen's house redecorated. The rear façades are plastered and adapted in a classicist style. After the French Revolution, Male was annexed to Saint-Croix in 1795. On 17 February 1796, the Executive Council of Male met for the last time in the clerk's house. In 1799, the French sold the "cabaret" as a national asset. Around 1800, the façade of the lower right-hand part was changed and the roof lowered. In a watercolour by Auguste de Peellaert of 1843, two round-arched windows protrude into the top of the stepped gable and the left façade is depicted with a gable, the window openings have windows with a small rod division. In a photograph from 1937, the left stepped gable has disappeared, the cross-bar frames on the ground floor have been bricked up, at the front the round-arched openings in the stepped gable and the windows in the skylights have been replaced by 19th-century round-arched windows. In 1952, the aldermen's house, together with the castle, was leased by the Augustinian monastery of Sint-Trudo. In 1960-1961 the aldermen's house and monastery were restored according to a design by architect Arthur Degeyter (Bruges). It is a historicizing restoration: on the left side façade, the stepped gable is rebuilt on the preserved beginnings, the lower right-hand part is regained its original roof slope. A low extension on the right is replaced by an entrance gate to the abbey. Low corner house near the Lodewijk van Malestraat, built on an L-shaped plan under tiled gable roofs, 16th-century core with modifications in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Consists of a corner section with two times two upstairs bays, on the right a lower part with six bays and at the back a transverse wing with a blind street façade. Anchored, yellow brick construction with stepped gables at the upstairs area. In the right-hand part, two skylights protrude under a gable roof with stepped gables and sandstone ball frames. Window openings with natural stone cross-bar frames or convex frames under relieving arches and with sandstone starting and closing stones with mascarons. Windows with stained glass and shutters on the lower surface. Basket-arched doors with sandstone fanlights. On the south-west corner is a niche with a stone statue of the Virgin and Child on a pedestal and under a canopy. Right side façade with wall braiding, basket-arched door and checkered round-arched window in the gable. Against the façade a wooden statue of Christ on the cross under a canopy. Rear wing on the Lodewijk van Malestraat with almost blind street façade, an arched cellar opening. The rear façade of the main building was raised to two storeys in the 18th century. Anchored, white-painted brick frame façade. On the ground floor, rectangular window openings with small rod division, basket-arched door with sandstone, divided fanlight. On the first floor there are round-arched windows, also with small rod divisions, profiled sill and fan-shaped fanlight. The rear wing, from the first half of the 18th century, consists of two bays and one storey under a tiled gable roof with a right-hand hipped roof. The anchored garden facades in classicist style on a brick base have plastered and white-painted frame facades with checkered corner bands. Basement with segmental arch openings, windows with small rod division. High, round-arched window openings set in flat mouldings and with small rod divisions, profiled sills. Flat frames and profiled at the fan-shaped skylight. Interior. The former inn is located to the right of the entrance: nut and children's beams and a fireplace in Balegem sandstone. To the left of the entrance is the former aldermen's hall with wooden floor, baroque volute fireplace; the landing with Louis XVI balustrade comes from the castle. The oak winged door with panelling gives access to the 18th-century aldermen's hall. Rococo salon with stucco, cartouches above the marble fireplace. Cellar under barrel vaults.

Onroerend Erfgoed Vlaanderen