Around 695, the gentleman farmer Heremare is said to have donated a large piece of land here to the St. Bertinus Abbey in St. Omaars. Saint Winok is said to have founded an abbey here where he died in 716. He was buried there and many pilgrims came there, where all kinds of miracles took place. In 846 the monks moved to Sint-Winoksbergen and shortly afterwards the remains of Sint-Winok were transferred to Sint-Omaars. The largely wooden abbey was destroyed by the Vikings in 860. The parish church was later built on the foundations, and in the 12th century or earlier there was a Romanesque church building, the St. Martin and St. Winoks Church. Here was also a Saint Winok's altar that contained relics of Saint Winok.
This church was also plundered in 1582, now by the French, and burned in 1591. The church was subsequently repaired and renovated. The current church dates from 1613-1616 and the tower dates from 1547-1683. In 1793, the spire of the tower was destroyed during the Battle of Hondschote.
Source: Wikipedia