The Cloth Hall, containing extensive warehouses, in which the sale of cloth was carried on, was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. It consisted of a series of buildings grouped around a rectangular court. The Hall proper was distinguished from a building called the Nieuwerk, added in the 17th century. The southern building of the hall had a magnificent faÇade, flanked on the east by the gable of the Nieuwerk and surmounted by a large belfry in the centre. Bold turrets stood at both ends of this faÇade. Rather spare in ornament, the long succession of glazed and blind windows constituted the grandeur of the faÇade. On the ground-floor, which was lighted by a row of quatrefoil windows in pointed arches, there were forty-eight rectangular doors.

Above these doors were the high windows of the upper storey, the Hall having two floors. These windows were alternately glazed and blind—a method frequently adopted in the Middle Ages, to avoid weakness in the walls, without detracting from the symmetry of the exterior. This storey was reached by staircases, access to which was gained through doors at each end of the faÇade.

The glazed windows were decorated with three trefoils supported on two arches. The blind windows were similar to the windows of the ground-floor, except that the latter were less lofty. The two arches formed niches, each of which contained a statue: that of a Count of Flanders (the Counts and Countesses from Baudoin Bras-de-Fer to Charles Quint were represented) or of a notable citizen of Ypres, such as Melchior Broederlam, the painter. These statues, some of which were restored in the 19th century, rested on a corbel apparently supported by a small figure bearing the coat-of-arms of the sovereign represented.

The upper portion of the walls was decorated with an ornamental frieze and a battlement bordered with fine moulding. The frieze was composed of a tricusped arcade with small columns carried on corbels with carved heads.

Behind the battlements ran a sentry-way, while at the ends of the faÇade turrets decorated with arcades and surmounted by octagonal spires, served as watch-towers.

The Belfry rose from the centre of the buildings, of which it was the oldest part, the foundation-stone having been laid by Baudoin IX., Count of Flanders, in 1201. Square in plan, it consisted of three stories. Its exterior, like that of the faÇade, was decorated with arches, and was lighted with windows ornamented with trefoils. It had two rows of battlements, four corner-turrets, and a timber-work roof surmounted by a campanile, above which rose a small spire. At the base of this campanile there were four copper eagles, dating from 1330. At the foot of the belfry a door, flanked by two pilasters, led to the inner court of the Hall. Over this door was a modern statue of NÔtre-Dame-de-Tuine, with the Lion of Flanders above.

The belfry served all the purposes of a HÔtel-de-Ville (previous to the 14th century there were no HÔtels-de-Ville properly so-called). It was there that the representatives of the guilds held their meetings, and that the charters of the guilds were kept in great coffers with manifold locks. There, also, the archives of the town were stored. The bottom storey was used as a prison. From the summit, unceasing watch was kept, to warn the citizens of danger, especially that of fire.

The roof of the Hall was pitched very high, in order the more easily to get rid of snow and rain water. It was gilded and emblazoned with the arms of the city and those of the County of Flanders. This roof, with its dormer windows, did not cover a stone vaulting, but a panelled ceiling. Inside the upper storey were large wainscotted galleries, which, in the 19th century, were divided by partitions and adorned with mural decorations.

The Pauwels Room

During the last century, the Hall was frequently restored and embellished. In 1876 the walls of the eastern half of the southern building were decorated with twelve mural paintings by Ferdinand Pauwels, representing the principal events in the history of Ypres, in the days of its prosperity (1187 to the siege by the people of Ghent in 1383). The artist displayed exquisite taste, especially in the fresco depicting the "Wedding of Mahaut de BÉthune with Mathias de Lorraine." The western half of the gallery was decorated by the artist Delbecke, with paintings depicting the life of a cloth merchant. Owing to the death of the artist, the last picture was never finished. This gallery was used as a banqueting hall. A number of statues by Puyenbroeck of Brussels, along the southern faÇade, had replaced the originals, badly damaged during the Revolution (1793).

The River YperlÉe formerly flowed past the western faÇade and, until 1848, there was a flight of steps with a double balustrade (17th century) to facilitate the transfer of merchandise from the boats to the warehouses.

The Nieuwerk

The Nieuwerk did not detract from the imposing appearance of the southern faÇade, of which it formed the continuation. Renaissance in style, the plans are said to have been the work of J. Sporeman (about 1575). Building was begun early in the 17th century and finished in 1624.

The ground-floor formed an open hall, 20 feet in width, the vaulting of which was carried on slender cylindrical columns, joined by irregular arcades. The building comprises two stories, the first of which communicated with that of the Cloth Hall. The large high windows of the faÇades were very close together. The roof was pierced with high and very ornamental dormer-windows.

The Nieuwerk was restored about 1862. In the Chapelle Echevinale, frescoes by Guffens and J. Swerts, and stained-glass was renovated, and at the same time a fine fireplace was built by Malfait of Brussels. Old mural paintings, representing St. Mark and St. John, and a frieze, depicting the Counts of Flanders from 1322 to 1476, were discovered and restored. In the middle of the hall stood a small equestrian statue of John of Brabant (1252—1294) by A. Fiers.

This slightly-built Nieuwerk could not long withstand the bombardment. The south gable, struck on November 21, 1914, collapsed, while on the following day the Cloth Hall burst into flames. A few weeks' later the Nieuwerk was completely destroyed.

Turn to the right in the Place Vandenpeereboom, formerly an ornamental pond, now filled in.

Here used to stand a row of old houses with double faÇade, now completely destroyed. Here also, to the north of the Cloth Hall, stood the Cathedral of St. Martin.

The Cathedral of St. Martin

The Church of St. Martin (which became a cathedral in 1559) replaced an older church of the 11th century. Built in the 13th century, its choir dated from 1221, and its nave from the second half of that century. The foundation-stone was laid by Marguerite of Constantinople. The western tower dated only from the 15th century, and replaced a tower which had collapsed in 1433. The new tower was 175 feet in height, and was to have been twice as high. Built from the plans of Martin Untenhove of Malines, it was severe in style.

The plan of the Cathedral was a Latin cross, and terminated in a semicircular choir. It underwent important restorations during the last century.

The faÇade of the south arm of the transept was of unusually great width.

The central portal was surrounded by a polygonal rose-window and crowned with a high gable flanked by turrets. Above the side portals, the surface of which was decorated with arcading, were gables lighted by rose-windows. This part of the building was probably not earlier than the 14th century.

There were no radial chapels in this great church. A circulating gallery running through the buttresses formed an uninterrupted passage around the building.

At the base of the roof ran an open balustrade, broken at intervals by the pinnacles which crowned the buttresses.

Above the centre of the transept rose a campanile, surmounted by a very pointed timber-work spire.

The nave, and more especially the choir, were remarkable. High pillars with crocketed and foliate capitals supported the springing of the large irregular arches. Above ran a circulating gallery or triforium. The pointed arches of the latter were carried by small columns which originally rested on the wide abaci of the capitals, but several of them had been cut away and replaced by statues of apostles, evangelists, or persons of note.

This arrangement is common in Burgundy and, like others to be found in the Cathedral—the exterior circulating gallery, the interior gallery, the form of the latter, and various decorative features—show how strongly French, and especially Burgundian influence preponderated in Flanders during the 14th century.

The choir was disfigured by an ungraceful 16th century altar. The stalls, carved about 1598 by C. Van Hoveke and Urbain Taillebert, were noteworthy, as was also the pulpit—a richly decorated monumental work, at the base of which stood a life-size statue of St. Dominic.

Urbain Taillebert was also the sculptor of the magnificent "Christ Triumphant," suspended between the columns of the main entrance; and of the tomb of Antoine de Hennin, Bishop of Ypres, who died in 1626. The centre of the tomb represented the bishop in his pontifical robes; on the left, he was seen kneeling in prayer, with his mitre close by; on the right, his patron, St. Anthony, was represented in a hermit's gown, accompanied by his traditional pig.

A "Virgin and Child" was fortunately rescued from the ruins of the Cathedral. It is a Flemish work of the 16th century. A surrounding fence (Hortus conclusus of the Litanies) is represented on the pedestal (photo opposite).

Beside the tomb described above was that of Jean Visscherius, Bishop of Ypres, who died in 1613. The bishop, clothed in his pontifical robes and wearing his mitre, was represented in a recumbent position, his head raised on a cushion and supported by his hand (photo below).

There were other tombs in the church, notably that of Louise Delage, Lady of Saillort, widow of the Chancellor of Burgundy, Hugonnet (beheaded in 1477).

In the pavement before the altar was the third tombstone of the famous Cornelius Jansenius. It was a simple slab of stone, on which was carved a cross, and in the four corners the figures 1, 6, 3, 8. Jansenius, Bishop of Ypres, who died of plague on May 6, 1638, was the founder of the sect of the Jansenists, which still exists in Holland, and whose headquarters are at Utrecht. When and how this tombstone was placed there is not known. It replaced two others removed by ecclesiastical authority in 1655 and 1673 respectively.

Round the chapel, known as the Dean's Chapel, there was a fine copper railing decorated with small alabaster figures.

The inner doors of the church were magnificently carved; those of the south portal, with superimposed figures of saints, were considered to be marvels of Belgian art.

In the Place Vandenpeerboom, take the Rue de Boesinghe. Leaving the Rue d'Elverdinighe (see plan, p. 72) on the left, the Cattle Market is next reached, formerly a pond, since filled in. Here were three guild-houses, Nos. 15, 19 and 21. No. 15 was the Maison des Bateliers, on whose faÇade two symbolic boats were depicted. The canal which passed before the house has disappeared. The date of construction was shown by anchors fixed in the wall of the second storey: 1-6-2-9. At the top of the gable there was an involuted niche which probably sheltered the statue of the patron-saint of sailors (photo opposite). The next house, part of which may be seen on the right of the photo, was 17th century.

Take the road on the left which rejoins the Promenade, and turning again to the left, skirt "La Plaine d'Amour" (photos below and p. 91). Behind the prison walls there is a British cemetery in the gardens (photo, p. 91).

Turn to the left into the ChaussÉe de Furnes, leaving on the left the reservoir of the ruined waterworks. Take Boulevard Malou and return to the Grande Place, via the Rue de Stuers and the Rue au Beurre (photos, p. 92).

Pass the ruins of St. Nicolas Church.

Before reaching the Grande Place the site of the Meat Market (photo, p. 93) is passed.

This was an important, two-gabled building of symmetrical proportions. The lower part of the faÇade resembled that of the Cloth Hall, but the upper story and roof of the building were of a later date. The gables, with stair-like copings, were decorated with blind windows. The lower storey was of stone, while the gables and the upper part of the faÇade were brick.

The first storey was formerly occupied by the Brotherhood of St. Michael. The Museum, which was housed there, contained a number of pictures, interesting drawings of the old wooden fronts of the houses of Ypres (by L. Boehm), old chests containing the Charters of the Drapers, pieces of sculpture and wrought ironwork.

Almost directly opposite the Cloth Hall is the Rue de Lille, in which, on the right, is the Hospice Belle (photos, p. 94).

This asylum for aged women was founded about 1279 by Christine de Guines, widow of Solomon Belle, Lord of Boesinghe, and rebuilt in the 17th century. The faÇade of the chapel, which faced the Rue de Lille, contained twin doors, surmounted by a large stained-glass window set in a radiating flamboyant framework. In addition to the statue of St. Nicholas (against the central mullion of the stained-glass window), the lower part of this faÇade was embellished with statues, in Renaissance niches, of the foundress and her husband. Above the window was an oculus, the decoration of which was mingled with that of an escutcheon immediately beneath it, on which the date "1616" could still be deciphered.

Inside the chapel were a 17th century portable confessional (a very curious specimen of carved woodwork), 15th century copper candelabra, and a line picture attributed to Melchior Broederlam. This artist, whose works are very rare, was a native of Ypres. He preceded J. van Eyek as official painter to the Dukes of Burgundy. This picture was saved.

On the right of the street, in the midst of the ruins, can be seen the broken-in vaulting of the old French Barrack (photo above), and on the left, the HÔtel Merghelynck.

The latter charming 18th century house stood at the corner of the Rue des Fripiers. It was built (1774—1776) from the plans of Thomas Gombert of Lille, and its last proprietors had converted it into an interesting museum.

It was decorated with woodwork, panelling, and Louis XVI. medallions by Ant. Jos. de la Dicque. The stucco ornamentation was the work of GrÉgoire Joseph Adam of Valenciennes. The staircase balustrading was by Jacques Beernaert.

A white stone vase, carved from designs by Rubens, stood in the fine court of the house.

Almost opposite, at No. 68, was the old 14th century Templars' House, since turned into a post-office (photo, p. 96). The Church of St. Pierre is next reached.

This 11th century church had been largely rebuilt. The faÇade was surmounted by a substantial square tower, flanked by four corner turrets and crowned by an octagonal spire rebuilt in 1868.

Inside, lofty columns supported the springing of the large irregular arches. There was no vaulting, the church having a timber-work roof in shape of an inverted keel. In it were a 16th century altar, large carved pulpit and a fine choir-screen.

Rue de Lille ends at Lille Gate. Before passing through, climb up the ramparts, from which there is a magnificent panorama.

Pass through the Gate, the towers of which date from 1395. There is an interesting view over the wide moats, and of the ancient ramparts (rebuilt by Vauban), which were ruined by shells.

Turn back and re-enter the town by the same way. Beyond the Church of St. Pierre, take the first street on the right as far as the Rue des Chiens, where, on turning to the left, the ruins of the Church St. Jacques, and the shattered faÇade of the HÔtel de Gand will be seen.

The latter fine house, with double gables dated from the 16th century. The transition from 15th to 16th century style is very marked: on the ground-floor is the irregular arch of the 15th century, while on the first floor the arches are full semi-circles, framing the rectangular bays, whose tympana are decorated with flamboyant figures. These tympana were added some years later, thus giving the wide 17th century windows, of which the (French) architect of the HÔtel Merghelynck made such happy use (photo, p. 101).

Having reached the Grande-Place, take the Rue de Menin on the right, leaving on the left the ruins of the Hospice NÔtre-Dame. Next take the Menin Road, to visit the ChÂteau de Hooge and Zillebeke.

Visit to Zillebeke and Hooge

At the Menin Gate leave the Westroosebeke Road on the left, and take the main road to Menin on the right.

On the right, near the last houses, a British cemetery (photo above). Before the level-crossing over the Ypres-Routers railway, take the road to the right. After passing two further level-crossings, the road descends slightly. On the left is a large British cemetery: on the high ground to the right are the remains of the ChÂteau, whilst in the distance lies Zillebeke Pond. On the left is another cemetery. Pass, on the left, the beginning of an impassable road, which formerly led to the main road from Menin. Go past the ruins of Zillebeke Church, shown in the photographs, p. 104 (before and after the War).

Return by the same road as far as the railway, and turn to the right. A large British cemetery, containing 1,500 to 2,000 graves, will be seen on the western slopes of the Hooge Crest. The site of the village of Hooge—marked only by a notice board—is next reached. There is no trace whatever left of the chÂteau or of Bellewaarde Lake. It was here that the battles of July 31, 1917, were fought. On June 2, 1917, the first objectives of the British, in their offensive for the clearing of Ypres, were the Wood and Village of Hooge. They were only taken on July 31, although the chÂteau itself was captured in June.

Again lost by the British in April, 1918, these positions were evacuated by the Germans in October.

Follow the road to the top of the crest, where the "tank cemetery," containing fourteen broke-down tanks, lies (photo below).

Now skirt on the right the beginning of Sanctuary Wood, beyond which is the strategic Hill 60.

Hill 60 was captured by the Germans in 1914, and retaken by the British in 1915. It was the object of frequent attacks, chiefly the German attack of April 27—28, 1916.

At the place called Veldhoek, opposite Herenthage Wood (full of concrete shelters and tanks), return to Ypres, entering the town by the Menin Gate.

From Ypres to Poperinghe

Cross the town by the Grande Place, Rue du Beurre, Rue des Stuers, Boulevard Malou, on the right, and Rue Capron, on the left, coming out at the ChaussÉe de Poperinghe. On leaving the town pass over the level-crossing.

From Ypres to Vlamertinghe, the road runs through devastated country; here numerous trenches and machine-gun shelters can still be seen.

Take the level-crossing over the Hazebrouck-Ypres railway, then cross the Kemmelbeek by a bridge, still in good condition, and go through Vlamertinghe. This village suffered greatly from bombardments. In front of the partly demolished church the road turns to the left.

From Vlamertinghe to Poperinghe the aspect of the country changes completely. The road is shaded by large trees, and there are hop-fields on both sides.

Enter Poperinghe by the ChaussÉe d'Ypres, continue by the Rue d'Ypres. Passing the HÔtel-des-Postes and the HÔtel-de-Ville, the tourist comes to the Grande Place.

Poperinghe

Poperinghe, a small town of 12,000 inhabitants, is the centre of an agricultural district, where hop-growing is the chief industry.

Of its three churches, two only are interesting from an artistic point of view.

The Church of St. Jean is Romanesque in style, whilst that of St. Bertin contains some remarkable woodwork: the VÉritÉ pulpit, the Dean's confessional, and the roof-loft are masterpieces of the Renaissance period.

In the court of the HÔtel Skindles there is a tombstone dating from 1171.

Old houses are rare in Poperinghe, the town having several times been destroyed during its history.