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to Charleroy. VILLERS. Route 36. 363
vd by 134 ft. 3 in., date, the N. and W. sides from c. 1230, the S.
bia side from c. 1290, and the E. from the XVI cent.; near the
19 entrance to the church is a niche which still retains traces of
q) painting in distemper; here was formerly the tomb of the B. Go-
d bert, a knight of the family of d’Aspremont, who, after his return
‘i from the crusades, became a monk and died here in 1263; close
to it is a fine rose window which formerly gave light to the S.
«} trans. of the church. At W. end of N. wall are an archway lead-
i ing down to the crypt, and a 1st pointed doorway opening into
the S. aisle. On the W. side is the Chapter-House, above
(iw, which is the Infirmary, c. 1197; these are pierced by 2 rows
9 of Romanesque windows, the upper ones being inscribed in round
hood moulds springing from corbel heads and the shafts of the
sul buttresses; beyond the chapter-house, at the 8. W. extremity of
the cloister, is the principal entrance to the abbey; beyond this
3 rooms, 2 of which were probably scriptoria, and above them
the remainder of the infirmary; the W- front of these is unfortu-
sf nately concealed by a facade of blue stone erected im the XVIII
99 cent. at a cost of 70,000 florins. Beyond this is a sort of portico
id) built over the road where was the dispensary, access to which
anf was gained by a spiral staircase in a turret. On E. side of the
ila cloisters is the novices’ quarter, and at the S. extremity a staircase
sfleading to the Dormitories above; beyond is the Sacristy,
sow from which a passage leads to the Library; all these were
of rebuilt by Abbat Hache, 1716-34.
| The Church, the most interesting example of the transition
| style in Belgium, commenced c. 1197, was completed in 1273; its
ici plan is a Latin cross, 296 ft. long by 131 ft. broad at trans., and
$8 84 ft. at nave. The Choir, Trans. and Portal are in the transition
ria style; the Nave and Aisles are pure 1st pointed; the 7 Chapels of
(ifthe N. aisle were erected at the end of the XIV and commence-
ment of the XV cent., and the W. front of blue stone in the
“XVI cent. The Choir consists of 2 bays and a heptagonal apse ;
eyeits walls are pierced by 8 rows of windows, the upper and lower
{ Tows are pointed, while the middle row consists of a series of round
5cou headed arcades divided into 3 by string moldings and pierced by
222small round openings. The Trans., which consist of 3 hays
ys9,each and have side aisles, are terminated by flat walls; the N.
7 wall is pierced by very lofty pointed windows above which is a
@ peculiar window, affording a remarkable example of an experi-
orm Mental attempt at tracery, consisting of 3 round headed arches
quse Supported by Romanesque columns and divided into 3 by horizon-
z i tal string moldings, the spaces between which are pierced by 9
ao@ Tound vpenings, the whole surmounted by a round hood-mould,
» oi the space hetween which and the top of the arches is pierced by |