Godewaersvelde

Godewaersvelde is a commune in the Nord department in northern France, near the Belgian border.

Location

Godewaersvelde is in northern France along the Belgian border and is in the heart of Flanders, less than half an hour from Lille and Dunkirk. Godewaersvelde covers 1189 hectares or nearly 12 square kilometers and is crossed by several county roads: the R & D 948 which connects at the A25 interchange in Poperinge, 139 R & D that leads to Boeschèpe and Eecke, DR 18, which connects Route Méteren to Poperinge.

Etymology and evolution of name

The name of the commune originally meant either "Godafritha's Heath" or "Godefried Fields", in old Flemish/Dutch. In modern French Flemish it is Godsvelde, or Godewaersvelde. The modern Dutch name is Godewaarsvelde.
The name has been recorded as:

1295-1296: Gaudefroit camp
1300: Godeverdesvelde
1318: Godefroichamp
1918: Goedesversvelde

During the First World War, British soldiers nicknamed the town "Gerty Wears Velvet", and "God". A false etymology, dismissed by linguists and historians, has claimed that Godewaersvelde meant "God bless our fields".

Famous people

The painter Nicolas Ruyssen founded the Mont des Cats abbey. He died in Godewaersvelde on 7 May 1826 and is buried in the abbey church.