Villers-la-Ville

Early History and Founding

The most notable historical site in Villers-la-Ville is the Villers Abbey, a Cistercian abbey founded in 1146 by twelve monks and three lay brothers from Clairvaux. Gauthier de Marbais granted the land for the abbey. Initially, the monks established several preliminary sites before finally settling on the current location in the 13th century.^[2]

Architectural Development

The construction of the abbey was a monumental task that spanned several decades. The choir was completed by 1217, the crypt by 1240, and the refectory by 1267. The church took 70 years to build and was completed by the end of the 13th century. During this period, the abbey reached the height of its fame and importance, with contemporary accounts suggesting that roughly 100 monks and 300 lay brothers resided within its walls. The abbey’s lands expanded to approximately 100 km² of woods, fields, and pasturage.

Decline and Challenges

The abbey began to face challenges in the 16th century, tied to the larger troubles of the Low Countries. Spanish tercios caused considerable damage to the church and cloister during the campaign of 1544. Although partially restored in 1587, the abbey’s fortunes diminished in the 17th and 18th centuries1. The number of monks and the abbey’s wealth dwindled, and it was finally abandoned in 1796 following the French Revolution.

Post-Abandonment and Restoration

After its abandonment, the abbey fell into disrepair. Further degradation occurred in 1855 when a railway line was constructed through the old abbatial grounds1. In 1893, the Belgian state purchased the site and launched a conservation effort1. The abbey was classified as an official historic site in 1973, and since then, it has undergone considerable restoration1. The abbey's remains, including the cloister, refectory, kitchens, dormitories, and brewing house, can still be seen today.

Modern Significance

Today, Villers Abbey is a significant cultural and historical site. It hosts an annual choir festival, La Nuit des Chœurs, where various choirs perform different genres of music1. The site is maintained by the Association pour la Promotion Touristique et Culturelle de Villers (APTCV). Although in ruins, the church is an outstanding example of Cistercian architecture, with imposing vaulting, arches, and rose windows.^[3][4]

Postal history

The MARBAIS post office opened on 1 June 1838. It used postal distribution code 33 with bars (before 1864), and code 235 with points before 1874. The VILLERS-LA-VILLE post office opened on 10 February 1865. SART-DAMES-AVELINES on 15 October 1877, TILLY on 8 November 1906.^[6]

Postal codes in 1969:^[7]

• 6318 Marbais
• 6320 Villers-la-Ville
• 6321 Tilly
• 6322 Mellery
• 6328 Sart-Dames-Avelines

Code 1495 since at least October 1990.