WESTERN FLANDERS 125

Poperinge r

12 km (8 miles) W of Ieper. Road
Map A2. * 20,000. £ @
n Stadhuis, Grote Markt 1; (057)

334081. ( Fri. http://www.poperinge.be

A cloth town in medieval
times, Poperinge became a
centre for production of hops
(used in beer-making) in the
15th century. Today, this is cel-
ebrated in the Hopmuseum,
an old hop processing plant.
The town centres on a Grote
Markt with a Neo-Gothic
Stadhuis built in 1911. Close
by is the 15th-century, late-
Gothic church, the Hoofdkerk
St-Bertinus, which contains
fine woodcarving in its organ
loft and Baroque pulpit. Its
tower has an unusual lantern.
Lying some 15 km (8 miles)
behind the World War I front
line, Poperinge served as a
transit point and a recupera-
tion centre for Allied troops.
Testimony of this is the Talbot
House, an 18th-century town-
house that was operated by
army chaplain Philip Clayton
(1885–1972) as an informal
club for British soldiers. The
Edwardian-style rooms and
the makeshift chapel in the
roof are redolent of the era.
The grim death cells where
deserters awaited the firing
squad have been preserved
behind the Stadhuis.

E Hopmuseum

Gasthuisstraat 71, Poperinge.

Tel (057) 337922. # Mar–Nov:

Tue–Sun and public holidays. &

9 - http://www.hopmuseum.be

P Talbot House

Gasthisstraat 43, Poperinge.

Tel (057) 333228. # Tue–Sun. &

= http://www.talbothouse.be

FLEMISH NATIONALISM IN BELGIUM

The sense of grievance felt by the people of Flanders towards

the French-speaking community has a long history, dating

back to the 9th century when Flanders was under French

rule. The latter’s high-handed treatment

of successful Flemish cities resulted in an

uprising, and a short-lived triumph in 1302

(see p38). French, then Burgundian rule

favoured French-speakers, a situation that

became etched in society and intensified

as Wallonia became the economic force

of 19th-century industrialization. At the

start of World War I, army officers were

all French-speaking. King Albert I rallied

Flemish troops by promising equality after

the war, but this was not fulfilled. The

resentment over historic injustice is still

palpable at some Flemish museums.

Talbot House chapel, where British
soldiers gathered in Poperinge

Kortrijk t

37 km (23 miles) E of Ieper. Road

Map B2. * 74,000. £ @

n Begijnhofpark; (056) 277840.

http://www.kortrijk.be

A vibrant city with a historic

centre, Kortrijk (Courtrai in

French) owed its prominence

in medieval times to the cloth

trade, and textiles still play a

key role in its economy. The

Battle of the Golden Spurs

(see p38) was fought near this

city, and the museum Kortrijk

1302 explains the battle and

why it is an important Flemish

landmark. The captured spurs

were triumphantly exhibited

in the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk

until the French recovered

them in 1382. Today, this

atmospheric church contains

two notable treasures – The

Raising of the Cross (1631),

a painting by Anthony van

Dyck, and an alabaster statue

of St Catherine (1380). The

statue stands in the spacious

14th-century Chapel of the

Counts, which is decorated

with portraits of the counts of

Flanders. Located a short walk

from here is the Begijnhof St

Elisabeth, one of Flanders’s

most enchanting béguinages.

The town’s Grote Markt has

a fine late-Gothic Stadhuis

and a 14th-century brick belfry

whose bell is rung by gilded

mechanical statues. Close to

the medieval Broeltoren – twin

towers protecting a bridge

over the River Leie – is the

Broelmuseum, an 18th-century

mansion with a collection of

paintings that includes work

by Kortrijk-born Roelandt

Savery (1576–1639).

In a 19th-century flax farm

on the southern outskirts is

the Nationaal Vlasmuseum,

which tells how flax and linen

played a key role in Kortrijk.

River Leie was once called the

“golden river” because of all

the flax processed in it.

E Kortrijk 1302

Begijnhofpark. Tel (056) 277850.

# Tue–Sun. & 9 http://www.

kortrijk1302.be

P Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk

# daily.

P Begijnhof St Elisabeth

# sunrise–sunset daily.

E Broelmuseum

Broelkaai 6. Tel (056) 277780.

# 10am–noon and 2–5pm

Tue–Fri, 11am–5pm Sat–Sun

and public holidays. 9

E Nationaal Vlasmuseum

Etienne Sabbelaan 4. Tel (056)

210138. 
        

        Mar–Nov: 9am–

        
        

        12:30pm and 1:30–6pm Tue–Fri,
        2–6pm Sat–Sun. &

        
        

The 1302 Battle of

the Golden Spurs

The sturdy Broeltoren guarding

a bridge over the RIver Leie