Meschede - St. Walburga

A convent for the daughters of the regional nobility was founded during Carolingian times. This convent was the second oldest in Westphalia, only Herford is older. It had strong connections to the House of Werl-Arnsberg, that within the first half of the 9th century may have lived here in a hill fort. The remains of that fort can still be seen here today. Due to the efforts of the high ranking abesses, the convent prospered. With the support of Conrad I, relics of Saint Walburga (sister of St. Wunibald and St. Willibald) were transferred to Meschede.

The convent had properties all over Westphalia. Otto I granted the right to hold markets, so a settlement around the convent grew up. In the early 11th century, the convent was wealthy enough, to commision an illuminated Evangeliary. The well known "Hitda Codex" (named after abess Hitda) is now in the Hessian State Library in Darmstadt. The romanesque church got severely damaged by fire in 1620 - and a new church was completed in 1664. This is seen today. The church was erected on the foundations of the pre-romanesque church. The apse and parts of the choir are remaining parts of the romanesque structure. Under the choir is the very old crypt.

The church got severely damaged in the very last months of WW2 and rebuilt in the early 1950s.
During restauration work in the 1960s more than 100 clay pots were found, sealed inside the western walls and the floor. They could be tracked back to Pingsdorf (near Cologne), where between 9th and 13th century a huge production of clay mugs and pots was under way, that got exported as far as England and Scandinavia. The pots found here were dated into the 9th century. It is believed, that these large pots were placed inside the walls and floor to enhance the acoustics, a theory that goes back to Roman architect Vitruvius, author of "De Architectura".