Nos événements

A first church was built in the second half of the 15th century (1480) by Gilles Ghiselin, who died in 1514. This noble family strongly influenced the history of Bousbecque. Advisor and chamberlain of the duke of Boulogne, bailiff of the town of Ypres, he also built the castle of Bousbecque. The famous Ogier of Bousbecque was the son of Georges Ghiselin and Catherine Hespiel, and born in 1521/22.

From early times until the 19th century, Bousbecque was a prosperous town, due to the fabrication of linen canvas/cloth, and first producer of this commodity in France until the French Revolution. In the church two 13th century pieces of goldsmith work bear witness to this wealth; an altar cross in niello silver; and a casket of red copper, gilded and decorated with enamel from Limoges.

The church of St. Martin is a “hallekerque”, whose three naves are the same height. The five altars of the church were consecrated by the bishop of Tournai on 25th March 1516. The actual building in the Flemish Gothic style of brick and stone, was rebuilt under the direction of the architect Charles Maillard , who added its high, slate covered steeple, in 1874. Within can be found the columns of Artesian sandstone and Tournai stone, which separate the naves and support the vaults.

A mausoleum to the memory of his parents, built by Ogier Ghiselin of Bousbecque, can also be seen, with its monumental facade and carved columns, that has been preserved.