Premonstratensian Abbeys: Continental
Abbeys abroad.
1. Premontre (BARNES) *9 miles west of (KNOWLES) *near St Vincent de Laon (C/WC), founded 1120 with 14 canons, rose to 40 by the end of 1121.
1st abbot: Hugh *de Fosses (BARNES) *des Fosses.
1st Church built in 9 months, second under Hugh himself in 1150 (CLAPHAM). A sketch of 1656 is extant (CLAPHAM): it had an aisled nave of 7 or 8 bays, transepts and an aisleless presbytery of deep projection and a square east end; originally it had no tower, but there was one subsequently at the west end
It had an early 14th century dorter built by Hugh IV of Cyprus, designed so each canon occupied a whole bay on one side or other of the building, each division having a small window in the outer wall with a stone locker beside it (CLAPHAM).
It had a 13th century chapter house which stood until the mid 19th century, 16.6m sq. divided into 3 aisles by 4 columns.
It may have had a 2nd chapter house for chapters-general, also of 3 aisles and the same width, but 50m long. It is possible that the 19th century building extant is a vestibule of this building (CLAPHAM).
Legislation of 1131-4 made it the head of the order, which led to schism with the German houses; this was resolved in 1241 (C/WC).
2. Floreffe, diocese of Liege, Namur; founded 1121-2; new church begun about 1165 (CLAPHAM). Floreffe 2 had aisles both east and west of the transepts which projected 3 bays from the crossing. The outer pair of bays of the east aisle terminated eastwards in apses in the thickness of the wall.
There was an early aisleless presbytery and a 16th century tower built over the south transept.
Its dorter was subdivided into separate cubicles by wainscot partitions under Abbot Gauthier (1336-42) (CLAPHAM).
The primitive church was still standing at the end of the 17th century but was largely remodelled in the 17th and 18th centuries (CLAPHAM).
Visitor of Premontre.
Others (in no particular order):
St Martin, Laon. Founded in 1124 (C/WC); n ew church begun about 1150-60, very similar to Premontre 2 (aisled nave of 9 bays, transepts with 3 square chapels in each, aisleless presbytery with square east end (CLAPHAM).
Still largely intact, 249 feet long.
Visitor of Premontre.