NEVELE Saint Maurice Church
The oldest parts of the church, various walls in fieldstone and Tournai stone, can be found in the choir and transept. They probably date back to the 12th - 13th century. The square tower would date from the 13th - 15th century. The municipality of Niviala was already mentioned in the 9th century. Nevele became one of the most important lordships of Flanders. At first there was probably only a chapel in Nevele, the foundation of which, like many other churches, was attributed to Saint Amandus. The patronage of the church first belonged to the bishop of Tournai, then to the count and finally to the abbot of the abbey of Drongen. From the 9th or 10th century there was a chapter of six canons and a provost, which in 1146 was donated by Erardus and the canons to abbot Gozewijn and his successors of the Norbertine abbey of Drongen to exercise pastoral care with the permission of Anselmus, bishop of Tournai. Pope Eugene III confirmed this in 1146. The pastors were also regular canons and were called the Muncken (monks) of Nevele.
The church suffered greatly in 1381 during the fighting between the people of Ghent and Lodewijk van Male. The building also suffered much damage during the religious unrest of the 16th century. The southern aisle was rebuilt between 1590 and 1609. The dates are mentioned in bricks in the facade. In 1725-1726 the northern nave was built and the sacristies were built against the flat choir closure in 1764 and 1828.
Source website kerknet