De Schrans is Lille's oldest civic residence. It was built in 1635 by Wouter van Steenhuys, the then bailiff of the lordship of Lille, Welcheldersande and Vlimmeren. De Schrans has been a protected monument and townscape since 1986. A St Andrew's cross, a Star of David and a heart are embedded in black stone. These symbols may have been intended to protect De Schrans because it may have been thought that evil spirits dwelled in De Schrans.
De Schrans is quite often misinterpreted (because of its name and moat wall) as a late medieval defensive structure. The building should actually be seen as a luxurious residence for the upper middle class.
In 1695, Norbert de Vrijter bought the property with brewery and barn and turned it into a renowned inn. After Countess of Seneffe, Isabella Clara Cogels, bought it in 1775 as a country estate for her son, the French government confiscated it during the French Revolution and sold it as 'black property'.
Afterwards, De Schrans had several owners. In the 19th century, it was brought back into use as a residence by, among others, parish priest Petrus J. Peeters and a tax collector. In 1879, it temporarily housed two classrooms. From the late 19th century, it reverted to its original function as a farm.
In 1919, the Van Eyndt - Van den Broeck family bought the property, and their descendants still own it.
