Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: gemeente Bronckhorst

The earliest known history of Kasteel Hackfort (Hackfort Castle) is dating back to the year of 1324, when the Lord of Bronckhorst commissioned the building of a castle. In 1392 ‘House Hacforden’ was nothing more than just a residential tower and a moat. In 1586 the castle was destroyed by the Spanish troops during the Eighty Year's War (the Dutch Independent War). After the liberation of the region by Prince Maurits van Oranje, the castle was rebuilt in 1598 by Borchard van Westerholt. In 1788, Kasteel Hackfort underwent substantial renovations. The old gate house and outbuildings were demolished and the canals were filled in. The castle was transformed into an 18th-century manor house. Nowadays only the two thick cylindrical towers are reminders of the (former) castle. The castle is surrounded by forests and meadows and includes Hackfort Watermill . The castle remained for centuries in the possession of the family Van Westerholt. When the last Baroness Westerholt of Hackfort died in1981, Kasteel Hackfort and estate were donated to Natuurmonumenten (a Dutch society for preservation of nature monuments).

Pinetum de Belten is an arboretum with only conifers. This pinetum was founded by Squire Mr. P.R Feith in 1961, when he started collecting pine-trees from all over the world. Pinetum de Belten is grown from the start to 1400 different types of pine trees. Due to lack of space for so many trees in 1992 the decision was made at around 700 trees to be grubbed up. Sub-tropical trees are removed out of the collection.Nowadayas there are more than 1000 different kinds of trees. Species must be able to grow in this environment. A single exception is made for unique items of the collection. Since 1974 the pinetum is managed by a foundation. The main goal is to maintain and care for the collection of pine trees. Pinetum de Belten is free to visit, although a voluntary donation is very welcome.

Bronkhorst - one of the smallest cities in the Netherlands - has a very old church, popularly called Bronkhorsterkapel . The chapel is mentioned for the first time in a document in the year of 1344. The chapel was founded by "Gijsbrecht V van Bronckhorst" and his wife. The document even mentioned a "newly founded chapel", which shows that the chapel seems to have had a predecessor. The pastor of nearby Steenderen gave permission in 1360 to build a larger chapel on condition that the rights of the parish church would be maintained. In 1633 a town fire raged in Bronkhorst, which also damaged the chapel. In the 18th century, the church fell into disrepair. Religious services were no longer held and it was even used as a warehouse for a while. In 1843, the building was converted into a school. In 1954, the Reverend "A.M. Nortier" pleaded for the chapel to be used for religious services again and funds were made available for its restoration. This restoration was carried out in 1960 and the following years, based on an old drawing from 1742. The Bronkhorsterkapel - a brick hall church in Gothic style - is a monument of great cultural and historical significance in the Netherlands and was designated a national monument in 1966. In 2011, the chapel was transferred to the Stichting Oude Gelderse Kerken (a foundation dedicated to the preservation of old monumental churches in the province of Gelderland). The chapel is no longer used for regular church services, but serves as a unique wedding location. In addition, exhibitions and small-scale music performances take place.

The Bronkhorster Molen is a corn mill built in 1844. The mill – from brick with a round shape - is a so called beltmolen (a belt is man made mound); the mound has a height of 3.30 meters. Already in the year of 1482 there stood a postmill on this spot, which burned down in 1844. The lords of Bronkhorst had the right to use the wind until 1795. The inhabitants of Bronkhorst were obliged to have their corn grinded in their mill soke. The mill was in operation as a grinding unit until just after the Second World War, after which it fell into disrepair. In 1960, the mill was partially restored and in 1989 it underwent another major renovation. In the meantime, the mill is owned by the municipality of Bronckhorst. The mill is capable of grinding and is operated by volunteers. In the mound of the mill there is a shop where various kinds of flour are sold.

Laag-Keppel became city rights as ‘Keppel’ in the year of 1404. With less than 500 inhabitants it is one of the smallest cities in the Netherlands. Laag-Keppel is situated in the so called Achterhoek along the river Oude IJssel between Doetinchem and Doesburg. Since the 14th century Laag-Keppel has a watermill. The current mill was built in the 19th century and until 1945 it was in operation. From that year an electric motor was driving the grinder due to a lack of water. In 1968 a plan was made to grind the mill on its original way by hydropower. Therefore a small windmill - a so called spinnenkopmolen (spider mill) - was transferred from the province of Friesland with the intention of lowering the water level in the mill pond. The capacity of the small spider mill is insufficient for the water mill to function optimally. The combination of a watermill with a windmill offers a unique setting. The watermill of Laag-Keppel is a flour mill and is still in operation.

The name 'stinzenplanten' originates from the Frisian word 'stins', which means 'stone'. That refers to the time when only rich people had a house of stone. From the 16th century onwards, adventurers took all kinds of bulbous, tuberous and root plants with them from their travels. They sold these plants to people who could afford them: owners of country estates, castles and mansions. ‘Stinzenplanten’ are very suitable for naturalization. On some estates the house has already disappeared, but the plants still bloom every spring. On the Hackfort estate around the medieval castle have always been many stinzenplanten in the landscape park, dating back from around 1820. It is known that there were large areas of forest anemones and lilies of the valley. But more and more blackberries got the upper hand and many of the original flowers disappeared. In 1981, Hackfort Castle and estate were donated to Natuurmonumenten (Netherlands Natural Heritage Society). In 2009 an inventory of the plants was made and a year later the society commissioned landscape-architect Trudi Woertman to make a design for an additional stinzenflora planting on Hackfort. Nowadays the park around the castle is an imposing eye-catcher with thousands of blooming springtime flowers.

The history of Hackfort Castle is dating back to the year of 1322, when it was officially mentioned. In 1392 ‘House Hacforden’ was nothing more than just a residential tower. In the 1586 the castle was destroyed by the Spanish troops during the Eighty Year's War (the Dutch Independent War). After the liberation of the region by Prince Maurits van Oranje, the castle was rebuilt in 1598 by Borchard van Westerholt. In 1788, Hackfort Castle underwent substantial renovations. The old gate house and outbuildings were demolished and the canals were filled in. The castle was transformed into an 18th-century manor house. Nowadays only the two thick cylindrical towers are reminders of the (former) castle. The castle is surrounded by forests and meadows and includes the watermill of Hackfort. The castle remained for centuries in the possession of the family Van Westerholt. When the last Baroness Westerholt of Hackfort died in1981, Hackfort Castle and estate were donated to Natuurmonumenten (Netherlands Natural Heritage Society). The house, coachhouse (nowadays a restaurant) and watermill have since been restored and opened to the public.

The ‘Lindesche Molen’ (also called ‘Molen Ons Belang’) is an octagonal ‘belt mill’. The ‘belt (= a man made hill) for this mill has a height of 4.20 metres. These ‘belts’ were made in order to provide more wind for the mill. The present mill was built in 1890 on the site of an even older mill (1856), which burned down. The mill wasn’t used for many many years. In the year of 1971 it was restored and the sails could turn again. Twenty years later mill stones were placed and the mill was ready for grinding flour again. The ‘Lindesche Molen’ is situated in the hamlet Linde, nearby the town of Vorden and along the ‘Achtkastelen route’ (Eight Castles route); a bike route along eight castles/mansions.

Castle Vorden was first mentioned in a deed from 1315, in which ‘Steven van Vorden’ the castle and outbuildings gave to his uncle, Dirk van Vorden. The castle probably dates from the 13th century, but it was very different from today. The square tower was certainly part of the medieval building, but the present castle for the most part was built in the 16th century. This square shape was then common. The castle lost in the course of centuries its defensive function and was rebuilt in the 19th century into a mansion. In 1873, the entrance was moved to the northern wing, with a wooden bridge across the moat. The castle was left to decay after the World War II until restoration took place in 1976 and it became city hall of the municipality of Vorden. In 2004 Castle Vorden was sold to a private invester, who restored the house to its former glory. Since then the castle is used as a wedding venue and hotel. Castle Vorden is one of the eight castles/mansions in and a round Vorden. There is a special bike route along these castles.

Den Bramel is one of the eight castles in and around the small village of Vorden. The history of Den Bramel is dating back to the year of 1396, when it was first mentioned. The present manor was built from 1720 – 1726 and a couple of times renovated and extended. The ‘castle’ is still privately owned and inhabited. The so called Achtkastelenroute (Eight Castles Route) is a special bike route along the castles.

Laag-Keppel became city rights as ‘Keppel’ in the year of 1404. With about 500 inhabitants is one of the smallest cities in the Netherlands. Laag-Keppel is located in the so called Achterhoek on the river Oude IJssel between Doetinchem and Doesburg. Since the 14th century Laag-Keppel has a watermill. The current mill was built in the 19th century and until 1945 it was in operation. From that year an electric motor was driving the grinder due to a lack of water. In 1968 a plan was made to grind the mill on its original way by hydropower. Therefore a small windmill - a so called ‘spinnenkopmolen’ - was transferred from the province of Friesland with the intention of lowering the water level in the mill pond. Although it doesn’t work properly, it offers a unique watermill-windmill combination in a very peaceful setting. Main picture: watermill PiP: windmill with mill pond For more info about the mills (Dutch): keppelsemolens.nl

The Wildenborch is one of the eight castles in and around the village of Vorden in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located between Vorden and Lochem. The castle was first mentioned in the year of 1372, when it was owned by the infamous Count Sweder Rodebaert van Wisch, a knight who loved robbing and looting. The Wildenborch (“castle in a wild swamp region”) was surrounded by swamps and was an ideal hideout after raids in the surrounding areas. Originally 'De Wildenborch' was surrounded by two moats, which nowadays still can be seen. By the 18th century the castle had fallen into disrepair and it was sold in that state to Damiaan Hugo Staring in 1781. His son, Anthony Christiaan Winand Staring (1767-1840) was another famous resident of the castle. He filled and planted most of the surrounding marshland with deciduous trees. The Staring family still provides opportunities for historical and literary research. The estate is accessible, but the house - still inhabited by descendants of Staring - is closed to the public (except during the annual Staring Nights). The gardens of ‘De Wildenborch’ are open for public a couple of times a year.

The lovely gardens of castle ‘De Wildenborch’ are open for the public a couple of times a year. We visited during a grey and gloomy Sunday afternoon, especially to see the blooming winter aconites (and lots of snow drops). Winter aconites are quite rare native European woodland plants. They flower early spring - just as the first snowdrops begin to bloom - and have a solitary bright yellow flower. The plant has a height of 5 - 8 cm. Picture 'De Wildenborch': www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/30931753/in/album/537955

The history of Hackfort Castle is dating back to the year of 1322, when it was officially mentioned. In 1392 ‘House Hacforden’ was nothing more than just a residential tower. In the 1586 the castle was destroyed by the Spanish troops during the Eighty Year's War (the Dutch Independent War). After the liberation of the region by Prince Maurits van Oranje, the castle was rebuilt in 1598 by Borchard van Westerholt. In 1788, Hackfort Castle underwent substantial renovations. The old gate house and outbuildings were demolished and the canals were filled in. The castle was transformed into an 18th-century manor house. Nowadays only the two thick cylindrical towers are reminders of the (former) castle. The castle remained for centuries in the possession of the family Van Westerholt. When the last Baroness Westerholt of Hackfort died in1981, Hackfort Castle and estate were donated to Natuurmonumenten (Netherlands Natural Heritage Society) and the house, coachhouse (nowadays a restaurant) and watermill have since been restored and opened to the public, although with limited opening hours. The picture is taken from the watermill: www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/26902929/in/album/537909