During the last century, the Hall was frequently restored and embellished. In 1876 the walls of the eastern half of the southern building were decorated with twelve mural paintings by Ferdinand Pauwels, representing the principal events in the history of Ypres, in the days of its prosperity (1187 to the siege by the people of Ghent in 1383). The artist displayed exquisite taste, especially in the fresco depicting the "Wedding of Mahaut de Béthune with Mathias de Lorraine." The western half of the gallery was decorated by the artist Delbecke, with paintings depicting the life of a cloth merchant. Owing to the death of the artist, the last picture was never finished. This gallery was used as a banqueting hall. A number of statues by Puyenbroeck of Brussels, along the southern façade, had replaced the originals, badly damaged during the Revolution (1793).
The River Yperlée formerly flowed past the western façade and, until 1848, there was a flight of steps with a double balustrade (17th century) to facilitate the transfer of merchandise from the boats to the warehouses.
THE PAUWELS ROOM IN DEC., 1914 (photo, Antony, Ypres)
THE JUNCTION OF THE CLOTH HALL WITH THE NIEUWERK (photo, Antony, Ypres)
The Nieuwerk
The Nieuwerk did not detract from the imposing appearance of the southern façade, of which it formed the continuation. Renaissance in style, the plans are said to have been the work of J. Sporeman (about 1575). Building was begun early in the 17th century and finished in 1624.
The ground-floor formed an open hall, 20 feet in width, the vaulting of which was carried on slender cylindrical columns, joined by irregular arcades. The building comprises two stories, the first of which communicated with that of the Cloth Hall. The large high windows of the façades were very close together. The roof was pierced with high and very ornamental dormer-windows.