Coudewater Estate

The Coudewater estate is named after the former double abbey of the Order of the Brigittines and Brigittines. This was founded by Milla de Kampen and Peter de Gorter in 1434. In 1566, the monastery was looted during the Iconoclasm. After the Eighty Years' War, Catholicism was banned. (A recurring story in Our Monastic Path, you'll notice). The men had to flee in 1648, the women were allowed to stay but were not allowed to take anyone else in. Eventually, they also fled in 1713. They bought an old monastery from the Crosiers in Uden, located in the Free Land of Ravenstein where there was indeed religious freedom. They named the monastery Maria Refugie (stage 2 leads to this monastery, p.31-33 Bindboek).

The former convent was converted into a country house after the departure of the sisters. In 1870, an institution was founded for the care of psychiatric patients, which was named Coudewater. The estate with the psychiatric hospital later became part of GGZ Oost Brabant. The cellars of the building date back to 1513. The main building is from the 17th century, the wings from the 18th century, and the facade from the 19th century. The Emma Convent with chapel was completed in 1940 for the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity (Ronse), who had been caring for psychiatric patients since 1871. The sisters lived here until 1985.

This text has been translated using AI.