Ter Doest Abbey

About

Ter Doest is a former abbey located in Lissewege, part of Bruges. The abbey played an important role in the inpoldering of areas in Flanders (see Saeftinghe), Zeeland and Holland and in the wool trade with the Flemish cities. Lambert, the Lord of Lissewege who lived at the Upperhof, gave in 1106, a chapel to the Benedictines who founded an abbey.

In 1175 she was taken over by Cistercians, from the abbey of Our Lady Ten Duinen, located in Koksijde, and united with Our Lady Ten Duinen in 1624. The tithe barn or monastery barn dates from the end of the fourteenth century and is the only abbey building remaining. It is 50.50 m long, 23.75 m wide and the pointed facade is 30.75 m high; The height of the side walls is 9.25 m.

For more than six centuries, two rows of 10 oak pillars have worn the unique oak roof. Until 1711 the barn was covered with straw, now the roof consists of 38,000 roof tiles. Dendrochronological research has shown that the wood was cut from the brim between 1370 and 1385.

Apparently the barn burned down earlier; The sleeve is probably a century older. Willem van Saeftinghe, lay brother of...