Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The hospital Our Lady of Seclin, also called the Marguerite Hospital of Flanders, was founded in 1246 by Marguerite de Constantinople, Countess of Flanders. Intended to welcome pilgrims and poor, he settled on a 300 hectare estate including land and wood. A community of Augustine sisters lived there from its creation, structuring the establishment around a farm and a chapel, in a modest but functional ensemble. This hospital, marked by an architectural unit of Spanish-Flamand Renaissance style, was occupied by the sisters until 2013, after more than seven centuries of uninterrupted presence.

The current buildings, built between the 14th and 20th centuries, reflect a continuous architectural evolution. The oldest north wing houses the choir (rebuilt between 1340 and 1360), the chapel (1533), and the sick room, remodeled in the 17th and 18th centuries. The square courtyard, arranged between 1635 and 1701, surrounds these spaces, while the east and west wings date from the 16th-17th centuries. The southern wing, more recent (1701–early 20th), completes the whole, with a facade combining 19th century pavilions and 20th century extensions.

The entrance to the hospital is preceded by a 375-metre linden drève, designed in 1850 by Achille Dewarlez, leading to a French garden adorned with a statue of Marguerite de Flanders (1880). To the right, the historic farm, with its sheepfold and 17th century workshops, is surmounted by an 18th century pigeon tree. Ranked a historic monument in 1932, the site combines medieval, Renaissance and modern heritage, testifying to its adaptation to health and social needs throughout the centuries.

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