# Monastery Muscles - Belgium



## UrbanX (Nov 19, 2019)

This was to be our last stop of the ‘Brown Bus’ tour. We stopped off on a miserable, grey morning on our way back to take the ferry through the Eurotunnel. 
I recently found out that this monastery was home to “The Order of Saint Bernard’s” which cracked me up imagining loads of those Dulux dogs dressed in monks habits. No? Just me? OK then on with the report: 

History: 
During the 1840’s anticlericalism persisted in France and this group of nuns foresaw the possibility of trouble with the authorities. This led them to found ‘refuge’ communities, this was the first one just over the border in Belgium and was completed in 1883. 

Like most second albums are always a bit of a let down, the next refuge to be completed was in Slough. 




The explore: 
I generally explore buildings top down, so naturally started in the attic spaces which were silent and dark, with just the first hint of the day starting to shine in. 







Next up, the chapel. Half expecting to get busted at any moment, I thought I’d get the money shots in early. Weirdly the chapel seemed way more derelict than the rest of the building and was a bit of a let down.


















We’d seen on a Youtube video there was a bar in the basement, so this was the next natural stop:






Cheers for looking:


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## HughieD (Nov 19, 2019)

That's fab. Belgium has so much to offer. Nicely captured.


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## BikinGlynn (Nov 19, 2019)

That is lovely again, well reported


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## Sabtr (Nov 20, 2019)

I laughed at the Slough comment!

Is that a tarmac loft? I can't for the life of me suss what the flooring actually is.
Looks a beautiful building though. Lack of water ingress is helping it survive.


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## Dirus_Strictus (Nov 20, 2019)

Nice set of images. Just one point - the 'Dulux' dogs were not St Bernards, they were Old English Sheep Dogs and first appeared in the add in 1960. The two breeds have completely different traits; the Old English having a natural herding/round up ability, whilst the St Bernard has a very keen sense of smell and huge paws, capable of digging out people buried in snow drifts.


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## UrbanX (Nov 20, 2019)

Sausage said:


> I laughed at the Slough comment!
> 
> Is that a tarmac loft? I can't for the life of me suss what the flooring actually is.



I see what you mean! Ha ha, it's just a textured carpet!


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## Will Knot (Nov 20, 2019)

Brilliant pics and report.


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## Conrad (Nov 21, 2019)

Looking sharp.


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## rockfordstone (Nov 22, 2019)

Great stuff as usual dude


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