Moorslede (Municipality, Province of West Flanders, Belgium)

Last modified: 2003-07-18 by
Keywords: moorslede | cross (blue) | dadizele | lozenge (white) |
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by Ivan Sache

• Presentation of Moorslede
• Description of the flag
• Former municipality of Dadizele

See also:

• Belgium
• Province of West Flanders: Municipal flags
• Belgium: Municipal flags

Presentation of the municipality

Moorslede (3,500 inhabitants) is located in the arrondissement of Roeselare.

Moorslede was called Morcelede in 1085 AD. The second part of the name is possibly hlitha - slope, and the first part moort - loose earth, grit.

Source: Woordenboek der Noord- en Zuid-Nederlandse Plaatsnamen, by Dr. J. de Vries, 1962

Jarig Bakker, 8 November 2001

Description of the flag

The flag is white with a blue cross. It was adopted on 4 April 1995.

The arms of the municipality were granted on February 12, 1968 and confirmed on April 4, 1995. The arms show the arms of the De Croix family, Lords of Moorslede and Dadizele since 1693. The arms of the family were also used by the local council and parish during the whole XVIIIth century, as can be seen from a seal dating from 1715. The cross (croix) is a canting element. The left banner shows the arms of the Dadizele estate.

Ivan Sache, 26 January 2003

Former municipality of Dadizele

by Ivan Sache

Dadizele used to be Dadingisila, that is: home of the descendants of Dado.

Dadizele has been an important place of pilgrimage since the XIVth century. The current sanctuary there is the basilica Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van de Onbevlekte Ontvangenis).

Dadizele is the birth city of three famous racing cyclists:

• Cyrille van Hauwaert (1883-1974), professional 1907-1915, won the first stage of the Tour de France 1909 (Paris-Roubais), the one-day road races Bordeaux-Paris (1907 & 1909), Milan-San Remo (1908), Paris-Roubaix (1908) and Paris-Menen (1910), as well as the championship of Belgium (1909).
• Julien Vervaecke (1899-1940), won the 15th stage of Tour de France 1929 (Grenoble-Evian) and the 16th one in 1927 (Nice-Briançon), Paris-Brussels (1929) and Paris-Roubaix (1930).
• Félicien Vervaecke (1907-1986) won the 10th stage of Tour de France 1937 (Digne-Nice) and the 21st one in 1938 (Laon-Saint-Quentin). He was best climber in Tour de France 1935 and 1937.

On the Dadizele website, the flag of Dadizele is presented as the square banner shown on the municipal arms of Moorslede (see above). By comparison with the flag of Moorslede, I assume that Dadizele used before the merging with Moorlsede a 2:3 banner of the arms of the Dadizele estate.

Ivan Sache, 26 January 2003