Drongen
Title
Drongen
Also Known As
Droenghen, Droenghene, Dronchen, Dronghen, Tronchen, Tronchiennes, Troncinium, Trunchiennes, Trunchinium
Dates
Founded 1138; dissolved 1796
Dedication
Mary
Affiliation
Medieval Diocese
Circary
History
By tradition, Drongen Abbey had its origins in the 7th century, but there is not clear continuity between the earlier foundations and the 1138 foundation of a Premonstratensian house at the same location by Iweein, count of Aalst.
Drongen suffered a number of attacks during warfare in the 16th century. The abbey church was rebuilt in 1638, and the community was suppressed in 1796.
The site was used as a cotton mill for a time in the early 19th century before the monastic complex was purchased by the Jesuit Order. The abbey church now serves as a parish church.
Drongen suffered a number of attacks during warfare in the 16th century. The abbey church was rebuilt in 1638, and the community was suppressed in 1796.
The site was used as a cotton mill for a time in the early 19th century before the monastic complex was purchased by the Jesuit Order. The abbey church now serves as a parish church.
Heads of Community
Abbots
Goswinus, 1138-52
Clemens, 1152
Joannes, 1152-1160
Walterus, 1160-1169
Absalon, 1172-1177
Walterus II, 1180-1190
Hugo, 1190
Gerardus, ?-1192
Giselbertus, 1193-1226
Sigerus I, 1226-1228
Solkin, 1234?
Sigerus II, 1235
Simon, 1235-bef. 1254
Gerardus II, 1254-1263
Arnulphus?, fl. 1269?
Wilhelmus, 1267-1274
Gerardus III, 1279-1284
Mathias, 1284
W., fl. 1288
Joannes, 1289-1290
Gerardus IV van Nevele, 1304-1323
Henricus van Sevenberghe, 1232-1327?
Arnulphus van Hecke, 1327-?
Raimundus de Vos, fl. 1331
Sigerus III van Kortrijk, fl. 1336
Joannes II Walaerts, 1341-1347
Sigerus IV van Hamme, 1358-1389
Joannes III Kimpe, 1389-1398
Joannes IV Colynszoon, 1398-1417
Oliverius Stappinck, 1417-1445
Joannes III Voet, 1445-1470
Walterus Bollyn, 1470-1485
Raso Goetghebuer, 1485-1490
Wilhelmus Huyghs, 1490-1514
Petrus De Block, 1514-1540
Gilles Baes, 1540-1559
Goswinus, 1138-52
Clemens, 1152
Joannes, 1152-1160
Walterus, 1160-1169
Absalon, 1172-1177
Walterus II, 1180-1190
Hugo, 1190
Gerardus, ?-1192
Giselbertus, 1193-1226
Sigerus I, 1226-1228
Solkin, 1234?
Sigerus II, 1235
Simon, 1235-bef. 1254
Gerardus II, 1254-1263
Arnulphus?, fl. 1269?
Wilhelmus, 1267-1274
Gerardus III, 1279-1284
Mathias, 1284
W., fl. 1288
Joannes, 1289-1290
Gerardus IV van Nevele, 1304-1323
Henricus van Sevenberghe, 1232-1327?
Arnulphus van Hecke, 1327-?
Raimundus de Vos, fl. 1331
Sigerus III van Kortrijk, fl. 1336
Joannes II Walaerts, 1341-1347
Sigerus IV van Hamme, 1358-1389
Joannes III Kimpe, 1389-1398
Joannes IV Colynszoon, 1398-1417
Oliverius Stappinck, 1417-1445
Joannes III Voet, 1445-1470
Walterus Bollyn, 1470-1485
Raso Goetghebuer, 1485-1490
Wilhelmus Huyghs, 1490-1514
Petrus De Block, 1514-1540
Gilles Baes, 1540-1559
Status
Abbey
Archival Sources
Douai, Bibliothèque Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
MS 818, fols. 623-651. (16th c.)
Gent, Rijksarchief te Gent
BE-A0514 / K9 (13th-19th c.; Finding Aid)
BE-A0514 / K10 (13th-18th c.; Finding Aid)
Gent, Universiteit Gent
BHSL.HS.4278 (19th c.).
Reference
Bibliography
Decavele, Johan, Luc Vints, and Maria Kelly, eds. De oude abdij van Drongen: elf eeuwen geschiedenis. Drongen; Leuven: Oude Abdij van Drongen ; KADOC-K.U., 2006.
Duyse, Prudens van. “Een zegbrief of arbitragie van den abt van Drongen, van het jaer 1360.” Belgisch museum voor de Nederduitsche tael- en letterkunde en de geschiedenis des vaderlands 6 (1842): 179–81. https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/will028belg06_01/will028belg06_01.pdf.
Goetstouwers, J.B. “De Abdij van Drongen. De abten tot de troebelen der zestiende eeuw.” Analecta Praemonstratensia 35 (1959): 301–11.
Lavant, J.B. “Quelques sceaux du diocèse de Gand: Abbaye de S. Marie de Tronchiennes.” Messager des Sciences historiques de Belgique, 1878, 129–33. https://archive.org/details/messagerdesscien1878gand/messagerdesscien1878gand/page/n139/mode/2up.
Schepens, Prosper. “Le manuscrit de la Chronique de l’abbaye de Tronchiennes-lez-Gand.” Bulletin de la Commission Royale 99 (1935): 1–8.
Schoorman, Robert. Inventaire sommaire des archives de l’Abbaye de Notre-Dame, à Tronchiennes. Gent: Rijksarchief Gent, 1910.
Smet, Joseph Jean de. “Descriptio de Origine Conventus, postea Abbatiae Trunchiniensis, ordinis Praemonstratensis; de ejus Fundatore et Loco, et omnibus circumstantiis, cum annotatione temporum, etc.” In Recueil des chroniques de Flandre, 1:589–734. Brussels: M. Hayez, 1837. https://books.google.com/books?id=2y1gXFQ4HuUC&pg=PA589.
Trio, Paul. “Pro animabus nostris et antecessorum nostrorum in elemosinam. Memorieviering in de middeleeuwse norbertijnenabdij te Drongen (tot ca. 1580).” In Memorievieringen bij Norbertijnen, edited by Herman Janssens, 49–52. Bijdragen van de contactdag 16. Averbode: s.n., 2006.
Weyns, Norbert J. “Abbaye de Tronchiennes.” In Province de Flandre orientale, 3:537–75. Monasticon Belge, 1980.
Image Credit
The gateway of Drongen Abbey, 2010. Wikimedia.
Files
Collection
Citation
“Drongen,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/41.
Geolocation
Item Relations
| Item: Petegem | DependentOn | This Item |