Lobbes Abbey

Lobbes. St Ursmarus church (11th century)

The abbey in the 18th century with St Ursmarus church on the hill

Former abbey buildings (17th century)

The early history of Lobbes Abbey is known in relative detail through the fortunate and unusual survival of its annals.[2] The monastery was founded by Saint Landelin around 645. Landelin was a young man from a well-to-do family in Bapaume, who had lived a sinful life as the head of a band of brigands.[3] After repenting, he founded a monastery at the place where he had committed his sins, on the bank of the river Sambre. The number of monks at the new monastery increased rapidly following its instigation. Landelin continued his duties as abbot until 680, when he resigned from his post and dedicated the rest of his life to the worship of God.[4]

Landelin was succeeded by Ursmar (Saint Ursmarus)[5] who devoted himself to preaching Christianity among the largely pagan Franks. The fame of Saint Ursmarus and his successors Ermin of Lobbes, Abel of Reims and Theodulph of Lobbes, made Lobbes the most important monastery in Belgium of the time. Under the sixth Abbot, Anson, (776-800), the abbey's school rose to great fame.[4]

In 864 Hucbert, brother-in-law of Lothair II of Lotharingia, became lay abbot. Through his decadent lifestyle he almost brought the monastery to destitution. His successor, Franco, was both abbot of Lobbes and bishop of Liège, a situation that continued until 960.[4] The abbey largely became a fief of the Bishop of Liège, although ecclesiastically it was situated in the bishopric of Cambrai.

In 954 the abbey was raided and burned during the Hungarian invasions of Europe.

Under the abbots Folcuin (965-990), Heriger of Lobbes (990-1007) and Hugo (1033–1053), the abbey and the school once again attained a great reputation.

After this period the fame of the abbey gradually declined, until the monastic revival originating from the Bursfelde Congregation brought fresh life in the 15th century. In 1569 Lobbes, St. Vaast's Abbey in Arras, and several other abbeys, were combined to form the Benedictine Congregation of Exempt Monasteries of Flanders.

In 1794, the last abbot, Vulgise de Vignron, and 43 monks were expelled from the monastery by French revolutionary troops. Under the law of 2 September 1796 the abbey was dissolved. Most of the monastic buildings, including the abbey church of Saint Peter, were destroyed. The books and documents were burned. The former burial church of Saint Ursmarus survived as a parish church. A few other minor buildings were later incorporated into a railway station.