The Delights of Open Monumentdag

As last week's blog was colonised by Charles 11 and the Grenadier Guards, I forbore then to mention the chief delight of that weekend which was the Open Monumentdag which gives the ordinary residents the chance of seeing behind the scenes in various properties and places normally not open to the public.

View of the servants' chapel from Onze Lieve Vrouw

I chose a follow-up visit to the renovations in the Onze Lieve Vrouw, the leading church of the city as I had visited them last year. This second phase was perhaps less dramatic but, as our guide pointed out several times, it was exclusive! Particularly impressive for me was a huge false wall behind which the current renovations were taking place. Even down to the lovely bank of seating, it was all cosmetic and designed to offer safety and comfort, in style, to the stream of tourists thronging to see the fabled Michelangelo Madonna and Child. The other impressive feature at OLV which delighted, was the tiny secret chapel, originally for the servants of the family from the Gruuthuse. There was a door and a flight of steps leading down to this chapel from above where the family itself prayed. The servants' chapel, with one door situated at least a metre above ground level, had been hidden for centuries behind a wall. A little treasure.



 Lodewijk van Gruuthuse 1422-92

 View from the kapel into OLV
 

The following day, I went to see the final phase of renovations in the neighbouring Gruuthuse which is scheduled to reopen next year after five years' closure. Again, the effects were beautiful but less dramatic than last year and I was disappointed not to see the gorgeous, partially restored tiled pavement, depicted in online publicity. I shall see it next year no doubt! The most exciting for me, this year, was the bidkapel, unrestored and unloved. This is the focus for a new crowd-funding project just beginning and was the private chapel of the Gruuthuse family whose servants descended the rough stone stairs to the little hidden chapel in OLV. The large end window in the bidkapel, looks down and over, into Onze Lieve Vrouw adjoining; thus the family need not venture into the cold or among the common herd each Sunday in order to pray.

Plus est en vous

The Lords of the Gruuthuse were Van Brugghe van de Aa, with Lodewijk, diplomat, courtier and art lover, the most famous member. The family name, Gruut, came from gruut, [barley; wheat] an essential element in beer-making before the introduction of hops in the fourteenth century. The fortunate Gruuthuse family held the monopoly for beer-making  in Flanders and the Gruuthuse Hof is testament to their wealth. The motto of Lodewijk, Plus est en Vous [there is more in you] is emblazoned prominently within the house. Among the many honours and titles conferred on Lodewijk during his distinguished career, were Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece and also the hereditary title of Earl of Winchelsea, an exceptional honour for a non-English person.

The outstanding visit however, was for me to the Huis Coudebrouc in Cordoeaniersstraat. One of the oldest houses remaining in Brugge, from the 13^th century, it lies in the heart of the mediaeval city, in front of the canal then connecting Jan Van Eyckplein and its harbour to the now departed Waterhalle in the Markt. Ships en route to the heart of Brugge would unload goods at the Huis Coudebrouc to be relayed through the enormous fan vaulted cellars to exit into Cordoeaniersstraat and eventual sale. The street itself is named after the leather workers from Cordoba who lived and worked there for centuries.

 Coudebrouc 16th century plaque

The name of the house is perhaps a derivation from Ic hou de Brouck and comes from a folk tale about the house when the daughters of the owner supposedly stole the trousers of a strange guest who was subsequently revealed to be the Devil. There is a 16^th century stone plaque on the facade of the house depicting the naughty sisters holding the trousers. However, that little fable may be a post hoc suggestion/ rationalisation/fantasy about the house already named Coudebrouc many years before.



 View of part of the huge mediaeval cellars

I loved the cathedral-like cellars, and the small niche on one wall the purpose of which was to mark the ownership of that wall and by implication, of the house. On the first floor there is a huge arch which announces a certain grandeur about the original building, obviously important in mediaeval times, and which will make a splendid feature in the subsequent transformation. The walls and cellars are thirteenth century but within the building, the renovations will tell the latest part of the long history of the Huis Coudebrouc.

 

 13th century arch in restoration in Huis Coudebrouc

Post Script

 

The advertised plans for Huis Coudebrouc include student rooms on the top floor and, as I  have noticed several times similar plans on other renovations on old houses in Brugge, I am wondering if the term, 'student rooms' is a necessary buzz word to help gain planning permission for the renovation to proceed. A cynical thought perhaps?

 



The Flemings are the most honest and true-hearted race of people ...

Things To Irritate, Part 1. The Grenadier Guards were here and the Life Guards, parading on two consecutive days, through the streets of Brugge, and I didn't know. Indeed, none of the English whom I know, was aware of this visit which is a pain as I would have loved to have seen them. One of my brothers was in the Grenadier Guards during WW2 and for a period, he was guarding Windsor Castle where he formed the opinion that Princess Margaret, a young girl at the time, was a bit of a madam! Ooh, this privileged information!

 

Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Queen Elizabeth of Britain. Charles, son of Charles 1, fled to Europe in 1646 and resided in France, Cologne and Holland before settling in Brugge from April 22^nd 1656 until 15^th March 1659 when he left for Brussels. The eventual Charles 11 and his court briefly resided at the Hof Van Watervliet in the Oude Burg, finally taking up residence at the Zeven Torens, which is now the Grand Hotel Casselbergh in Hoogstraat. During his stay here, Charles founded both the Grenadier Guards in 1656 and the Life Guards in 1659, as bodyguards.

The Grenadiers only assumed that name in 1815 after their glorious defeat of the Grenadiers of the French Imperial Guard at the Battle of Waterloo. Then the title The First or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards was granted together with the privilege  of wearing the Bearskin Cap.

While living in Bruges, the royal company was persuaded to enrol in selected areas of local society life, then centred around the Archers' Guilds, and Charles with his brothers James, Duke of York and Henry, Duke of Gloucester, with him in exile, became members of the Guilds of St Barbara, of Saint Georges and St Sebastiaan.  Over September 2^nd and 3^rd this year, a splendid sculptured stone plaque was unveiled by Princess Astrid of Belgium, on the facade of the Grand Hotel Casselbergh, Charles's pied a terre during his much-loved Bruges years. This commemorates the historic existence of the Guilds, the seventeenth century British royal connection with Bruges and includes the foundation of these two historic British regiments.


The commemorative plaque, newly unveiled, from which I learned
that Charles had written in 1662," The Flemings are the most honest and
true-hearted race of people I have ever met with."
I was also amused to read the building described as the Royal Palace of England
Scotland and Ireland when King Charles 11 held Court here from 1656 until 1659.