Welcome in Godewaersvelde
This mound made of clay and ferruginous clay is on the territory of 3 villages :Berthen, Metren and Godewaersvelde and culminates at 158 meters.The 200 meters high TV relay and the "Passion" chapels are part of Berthen. However, Godewaersvelde owns the monastery and a lot of woods.
The "Our lady of mount"abbey .
The cheese made by the monks
On the 17th century, Antonins created a hermitage were the "Passion chapel" stand todays, on Berthen's land. In 1688, following a dispute with the priest of that village, they move few mleters away on the Godewaersvelde territory. These monks are expelled during the French Revolution.
After contacting some jesuits, in 1825, Nicolas Ruyssen, painter in the court of Georges III of England, gave the old hermitage to some Trappist monks in order to create a primary school. In 1847, the priory became officially a abbey.
These cistercians work in fields producing beer and cheese. If the brewery closed at the beginning of the 20th century, the "Mont des cats" milk cheese can still be bought.
The abbey was severly damaged in the WWI because it was a good viewing point on the Ypres' battle field. The canadian memorial, on the surrounding wall, reminds the sacrifice of these commonwealth soldiers for the two world wars.
Unfortunatly, it is forbidden to visit the abbey and its master pieces paints. However, the "Charles Grimminck" visitors center display a movie about the live in the monastery and differents informations about the monks which "prayers go higher than the TV relay..."
The woods in spring times.
As early as the 19th century, the inhabitants were selling accomodation to city's people in order for them to enjoy the clean air. Today, a lot of visitors comes to walk on the plenty of pathes that are going through the woods of the hill.
You can find there a lot of hawthorns which put a lot of white flowers in the hedges in May. The hoe gives a beautyfull and unique green to the scenery all over the year. Its fruits are red and poisonous. There are also ashtrees, oaks and alders.
The monks plants also a lot of evergreens in the 20th century.
Travail scolaire réalisé par Nicolas Dequéant , Guide Interprète National, Université du Littoral Côte D'Opale 2008-2009.