Saint Martinus

MartInI pVra LIberaLItate ConDItVr is the inscription of the Gable stone placed above the entrance to the courtyard of Sint Maartenshuizen at Grote Looiersstraat 27. It means: from the pure charity of St. Martin, [this house] was founded.

The then so-called "Fundation of St. Martin in the Groote Leurestraet" was founded in 1715 by the "Lady Helena Frencken...in fulfilment of the wish and good intention of her late brother Martinus Frencken", as we read in the notarial deed by notary J.C. à Cruse. Although Martinus (1645-1713), who died unmarried and childless and who was a canon of St Servatius' Chapter, had asked his brother and both sisters in his will to found a small court from his estate, it was only his youngest sister Helena who energetically undertook this task. It was she who organised the whole thing, bought the land, appointed the architect and the builders, ensured that the houses were furnished and that there were occupants. She was a woman who "stood her ground", which was not very common in those days.

Thus in 1715 a courtyard was arranged for "thirteen small houses for the habitation of a few poor women aged about sixty years, ... ... of the true Roman Catholic religion, from the citizens of this city...".

The contract for the construction of these houses was awarded to the city architect of Maastricht, Gillis Doyen, on 30 May 1715 for 14,500 guilders and was completed in the same year. Even after more than 300 years the current provisors, most of whom are still relatives of the donor, still try to provide simple but inexpensive accommodation for less wealthy elderly people from Maastricht and the surrounding area.

‍

‍

The courtyard was built in 1715 thanks to a bequest from Martinus Frencken (1655-1713), who was a canon of the Saint Servatius Chapter. The Gable stone above the entrance shows Saint Martin with a Latin time verse from 1715: 'Martini pUra LiberaLitate ConDitUr' (Founded by the noble generosity of Martin).