Abbey of Val des Écoliers, Mons

Notre Dame du Val des Écoliers was a monastery of Augustinian canons regular in the city of Mons, Belgium, founded as a priory in 1252 at the invitation of Margaret, Countess of Hainaut.

[2] The buildings were later used as an arsenal, a meeting hall, a warehouse, a factory, and a hospital, but were allowed to decay into considerable disrepair.

[2] Most of the old buildings were demolished in 1876, but one tower remained and was restored in 1892.

[2] The monastic ruins were investigated by archaeologists in 2021 prior to being cleared to make way for an underground carpark and office space.

[3] Initially expected to last a month, the dig would ultimately run from March to July, and exhumed about sixty sets of human remains dating from the 14th and 15th centuries.