THE COURT OF THE TEMPLARS in WAVER

In 1128, Count William of Flanders donated land to the Order of the Templars. A few years later in 1139, this example was followed by the Count of Henegouwen and in 1142 by the Duke of Brabant.

Upon their return from the Crusades, during which the rulers in the Holy Land had enjoyed the help of the Templars, they wished to express their appreciation with gifts.

The oldest document which mentions the establishment in Waver is a certificate from Pope Lucius III dating from 1181-1183 whereby he gives his approval for the foundation of the settlement. The area comprises 15 “mansen (surface area measurement) of land to be worked”, with the meadows and marshes up to the river Lasne.

What is meant by “land to be worked”? Certainly “financial work”. Although the Templars never had many possessions, they always tried to establish their houses in order to accommodate their financial transactions: the collection of the money and also the bills of exchange owed to them. The Order of the Templars was the first international banking organisation. The money collected in the West was used to maintain the militia whose task it was to protect the Holy Land.

Their second task was obviously the cultivation of land, such as was the role of many abbeys.

According to the rules of the Order, another occupation was of a military and religious nature because they were characterised by having to be simultaneously both monks and soldiers.

Their great marial devotion certainly contributed to their choosing of a location not far from the pilgrim site of Basse-Wavre.

At the edge of the large forest and along the road to Brussels, they certainly offered pilgrims and travellers lodgings and provided them with help on the precarious roads of the time.

In 1312, under pressure from the French King Phillip IV, Pope Clement V denounced the Order of the Templars. The court of Waver, together with all other possessions, was transferred to the Order of the Knights of Malta.

During the religious wars (second half of the 16th century) the court was protected by Don Juan of Austria and Farnese. However, vandalism by the soldiers still occurred.

Under Louis XIV, more than 3,000 French soldiers camped in the area surrounding the court, slaughtered poultry for food and kept themselves warm by burning piles of wood! The farmer had his entire stock plundered.

During the construction of the road to Brussels in 1768, the Templars lost a fair amount of land. The road ran through their grounds. They lost more than 2 hectares. The court was then also partially destroyed by fire.

Ensuite, la ferme fut partiellement détruite par le feu.

During the French Revolution, all church orders were dispensed with and the court of the “ci-devant Ordre de Malte” was sold in 1796.

There has been no agriculture carried out since 1952, since when it has been used as a country house.



The location

The farmstead and the grounds are located on a wide plain, in a fan shape to the East of the farm. These are clay soils, suitable for grain farming and sugar beet.

To the West, the plain descends into a deep and marshy valley up to the river Lasne. It was in this valley that the farm’s fish ponds were previously constructed.



The chapel

The oldest building on the whole site: 8.50m long – 6.30m wide.

Above the clocktower, one can see the Maltese Cross and a cock.

The chapel has five gothic windows, finished in blue stone. The entrance is on the left. Above there is a blazon with the coat of arms of “commandeur de Chantraine, Jérôme de Homblières”, both of the Order of Malta. Remnants of the coat of arms of “commandeur Pierre de la Fontaine”.

In the 18th century, a Carmelite came three times per week from the Waver cloister to celebrate mass.

The chapel was sold in 1799 (French Revolution) and fell into disrepair but was renovated in around 1930. The middle stained-glass window bears the image of Our Lady with the baby Jesus, on the right St. Hubertus, on the left St. Elooi.



The farmstead

A typical triangular-shaped Brabant farmstead.

Above the entrance gate, one sees the coat of arms of the Commandeur de Chantraine.

Left of the interior courtyard is the residential quarter, completely independent of the other buildings. On the other side, in the longest part, was the sheep house for 200 animals. There were also pigs and calves. The granary was located on the smaller side.

There was previously stabling for 18 horses and 16 cattle.

It was therefore quite a substantial farmstead.



The sergeant's house

Near the farmstead and the chapel is the house of the sergeant of the land. It has no upper floor and dates from 1739. It consists of a kitchen, a bedroom, a stable and an attic.

For the town of Waver, the court of the Templars is evidence of its past.

The buildings form a whole which is well worth seeing. It is worth the effort of maintaining it in good condition. The surrounding woods and meadows are of great importance as a ‘green lung’ and the banks of the Lasne are extremely picturesque.