Cambron Abbey

Tower of the abbey church (1774)

Cambron Abbey (French: Abbaye de Cambron; Latin: Camberona) is a former Cistercian abbey in Belgium, located in Cambron-Casteau in the municipality of Brugelette in Hainaut. It stands on the little River Blanche, a tributary of the Dendre, about 9 kilometres to the south-east of Ath. The site is now used as a zoo.

History

The abbey was founded in 1148 by Anselme of Trazegnies, a canon from Soignies. The foundation is believed to have been effected by Bernard of Clairvaux himself, and as such was probably a daughter house of Clairvaux.[1] It became one of the wealthiest monasteries of Hainault and variously founded, or was given the supervision of, several daughter houses: the abbeys of Fontenelle at Valenciennes (1212), Nieuwenbosch near Ghent (1215), Épinlieu at Mons (1216), Beaupré near Mechelen (1221), Le Refuge at Ath (1224), Le Verger at Cambrai (1225) and Baudeloo at Saint-Nicolas (1225). At the end of the 14th century Cambron had about 70 monks.

In the 18th century the abbey was completely rebuilt. It was formally dissolved in 1783 under the Emperor Joseph II, and vacated in 1789, but owing to political developments the monks were able to return the same year. The dissolution was finally effected in 1797. It was later sold to the Counts of Val de Beaulieu, who built a large château on the site and whose property it remained until 1993. It was then sold to the Domb family, who set up a zoo here, the present Pairi Daiza.

In 1982 it was declared a protected area.

Site and buildings

Of the abbey buildings there still remain the tower of the abbey church of 1774, a monumental staircase of 1776, the entire medieval precinct wall and a 13th-century cellar that was formerly beneath the now-vanished lay brothers' quarters, measuring 12 metres by 18 metres with twelve pointed vaults, the main abbey gateway of 1722 and the former abbey farm with an 18th-century coach house. Remains of the former abbey church are kept in Attre Castle. In Bermeries near Bavay in France a grange of Cambron is still extant. Others of the monastery's farms remain at Diksmuide, Rosière, Thiennes, Horrues, Wodecq, Rebais, Lombise and Stoppeldijk.

References

  1. ↑ although it is sometimes suggested that the founding house was Villers-Bettnach Abbey.

Sources

External links


Coordinates: 50°35′15.04″N 3°53′10.54″E / 50.5875111°N 3.8862611°E