Mesen Castle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Castle of Mesen (Kasteel Van Mensen in Dutch) is an old, abandoned castle in Lede, Belgium.
Contents |
[edit] This article has been fully copied/pasted from http://www.forbidden-places.be/explo8.php without asking for permission.
[edit] History
[edit] Early History
Built and destroyed many times, the remains of the Castle of Mesen date mainly to the beginning of the 17th century. The main building is located in the middle of a public park with an area of 7 hectares, and the castle has a lot of outbuildings like stables and an orangery.
After 1796, the castle ceased being used as a residential building. Instead, it was converted into a light-industrial building and remained so for roughly the next century. At various points in time, the castle housed a gin distillery, a sugar refinery, a potash refinery and a tobacco factory. The machines used for these activities can still be seen there.
In 1897, the castle was sold to a religious order that built the impressive neo-gothic chapel. After the First World War an institution bought the complex and established a school for the local children. A new aisle and a Dutch pavilion were added alongside the school.
[edit] Boarding School (1914-1970)
The Lede Boarding School was first located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, founded by a woman named Mrs de Maintenon. After its original building was destroyed during World War I, the school moved to Lede in Belgium. The language of instruction there was French. The school was a girls-only school, with enrollment reserved for the penniless aristocracy. Later on, daughters of military officers were also admitted. About a 150 girls were enrolled there.
The school motto was "I'd maintain"[citation needed], and the education and social life there was very 18th century in its outlook: strict and rigorous. For instance, the girls had to greet their teachers with a curtsy performed in three movements when they entered in the classrooms[citation needed], and when the teacher went out, the pupils had to stand up and make another curtsy while saying "Miss, we thank you for the lessons you taught us"[citation needed].
The school was financed by members of the Belgian aristocracy such as the Boël baroness Miss Carton de Villard amongst others. The pupils also paid high fees.
Days at the school started early. Pupils had to wake up at 6am and wash. After a 7am mass, breakfast and lessons followed. The mass was conducted by an outside priest as no clergy were allowed to stay inside the school. In its heydey, the chapel, today in a derelict state, had a long blue carpet in the center alley with an heraldic lily painted on it.
The education was particularly refined: the girls were taught about how to behave in high society and in the 'great houses'. In addition to primary and secondary lessons, they had to learn how to receive important people, manage employees and be able to perform any kind of housework. They typically started the school at the age of 5 and finished at the age of 18. Teachers taught them principles such as "Misses, if you have the chance to manage employees, it is absolutely necessary that you can do everything they can do at least as well as you expect it done from them. And if you don't, well this would be at least extremely useful for your family and yourself"[citation needed].
The girls received one visit per month, and were allowed to go back home for only one month per year. Each 5 or 6 year old pupil was mentored by a 12 to 18 year old one who was responsible for taking care her. She had to guide her protegé through the various aspects of school life such as watching out for her clothes and behavior[citation needed]. The youngest girls slept in dormitory rooms while the oldest ones had private rooms equipped with their own baths.
[edit] Decline
Over time, problems began to emerge with the maintenance of the castle. By 1970, ownership of the building had passed to the Ministry of Defence of Belgium which refused to designate the site as a historical monument, instead letting it rot because the cost of maintaining it was very high[citation needed]. This led to the dilapidated state that the castle is in today.
As of 2006 the building was scheduled to be destroyed.
[edit] Architecture
As mentioned above, the architecture of the school would best be described as neo-gothic in style.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
This article has been fully copied/pasted from http://www.forbidden-places.be/explo8.php without asking for permission.
