Picture this. You stand before the Ancienne maladrerie in Lille. Its weathered stones whisper tales of centuries past. This isn’t just a building. It’s a living testament to Lille’s history. A history interwoven with faith fear and the fight against disease.
The Ancienne maladrerie of Canteleu was founded in 1461. A generous gift from Philip the Good Duke of Burgundy and Count of Flanders. This wasn’t the first leper house in Lille. A previous one existed since 1233. That one though was for the city’s wealthier citizens. Canteleu was for those outside the city walls. The lepers of the suburbs. Three or four non-bourgeois lepers lived here. Each received a small income for their needs.
Think of the lives lived here. The isolation the fear the constant battle against illness. The chapel you see before you is all that remains of the original complex. The houses and cemetery have long disappeared. Yet the chapel stands. A steadfast reminder of faith in times of suffering.
The 17th century brought new challenges. Leprosy had largely disappeared. The Ancienne maladrerie then became a refuge for plague victims. This was in addition to the Maison de santé du riez de Canteleu nearby. This hospital was built in 1624. It handled the plague in the neighboring village of Esquermes.
In 1662 the leper house was given to the Béguines of Sainte-Elisabeth in Lille. A short time later the Hospital Saint-Sauveur took over. They built a barn on the old cemetery grounds in 1669. In 1693 Saint-Sauveur acquired the leper house’s remaining assets. The Béguines no longer controlled the site.
The land then passed into private hands. Eug`ene Verstraete bought it in 1857. He used it to build a flax factory. A significant shift in purpose for this ancient place. Today only the chapel endures. A poignant reminder of the Ancienne maladrerie’s complex and fascinating history. A history of illness hope resilience and transformation. A history you’ve now had a small part in experiencing.