A cobbled lane whispers secrets. This is Rue des Vieux Murs in Lille. Right here you stand on ancient ground. This street is one of Lille’s oldest. It lies within the original castrum a two-hectare settlement perhaps surrounded by a moat and earthen ramparts. No trace of those early fortifications remains. However the Tour Ysembart a medieval tower stands nearby partly beneath the nearby Rue des Trois-Mollettes. That tower dates back to the mid-13th century. This early settlement predates the Collegiate Church of Saint-Pierre founded in 1055. On the other side of the original wall and canal stood the motte castrale the site of the present-day cathedral. This was the fortress of the Counts of Flanders.
Rue des Vieux Murs was once lined with houses mostly from the late 17th and early 18th centuries. These show a relatively sober French architectural style. This succeeded the highly ornate Flemish style. One exception is a larger house at number 19 dating from 1767. Another slightly later building from the early 19th century also stands here. During the 19th century Rue des Vieux Murs was at the heart of a working-class neighborhood.
Initially the houses housed weaver-artisans known as sayetteurs. They set up their looms in the attics or cellars where the humidity was suitable for processing raw materials. As the sayetterie declined in the 18th century and mechanized textile industry expanded factory workers moved in with their families. According to Antoine Duquennoy in the 1950s and 1960s this part of Vieux-Lille was a lively village. It had its traditions numerous businesses and a largely homogeneous population of Lille workers. However sanitary conditions were primitive. Courtyards often had only one tap and one toilet for six or seven families. In 1965-1970 the arrival of Maghrebian and Portuguese immigrants transformed the area.
The street was included in Lille’s protected area designated in June 1967. However at the time preservation was not universally supported. Interest in this heritage and that of the nearby Place aux Oignons and Rue au Péterinck began in 1974. The discovery of tiles and earthenware prompted restoration efforts. Many houses were extremely dilapidated some even squatted. This was the poorest area of Vieux Lille. An unsanitary courtyard Cour à Fiens opened onto the square. In 1976 a development company undertook strengthening work before the overall restoration.
Today Rue des Vieux Murs is a lively pedestrian street in a highly tourist area. It still reflects its rich history. The house at number 19 with its sculpted lintel and wrought-iron rocaille balcony is an example. Walk along Rue des Vieux Murs and you walk through centuries. You walk through time.