Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Achterhoek

The history of Huis Verwolde goes back to the middle ages. The present house was built in 1776 on the foundations of a medieval castle by the lord of Verwolde, Frederik Willen van der Borch. Six generations of the Van der Borch family lived in the house until 1977. In that year the last lord of Verwolde - A.Ph.R.C. Baron van der Borch van Verwolde - decided to sell Huis Verwolde to “Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen” (a Dutch heritage organisation). Phillip Willem Schonck was the architect of the house. It took nine successive months to built the two storey brick house in Dutch classical style; the decoration took some years. The house is surrounded by formal gardens and a landscape park. Durinng World War II Huis Verwolde was use as a clinic for patients with tuberculose, who had to move from the town of Scheveningen because of the construction of the Atlantikwall by the Germans. In doing this, the family prevented the Germans from taking over the house Huis Verwolde is open to the public, also with guided tours.

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).

Over the past centuries Havezathe de Kamp (havezathe = manor or fortified (farm) house) has been rebuilt and renovated several times. In 1782 the stepped gables disappeared and in 1871 the canal was filled in and “De Kamp” lost its castle-like appearance. “Huis De Camp” - as it was originally called - was probably built in the 13th century. In 1469 Johan Van Barmentloo was the first resident whose name we know. In 1553 the house came into the hands of the Gansneb family called Tengnagel. Several generations continued to live there for almost two hundred years. In 1636, Otto Gansneb had Havezathe de Kamp raised and rebuilt into the building as it looks today. The manor was sold in 1741 and subsequently had various owners. In 1977 the house came into the possession of the municipality of Neede (later Berkelland). Between 1983 and 1989 the manor was restored, the canal was dug out again and the coach house was rebuilt. In 2014, “De Kamp” came into the possession of private owners After the re-excavation of the moat and the most recent alterations and renovations, Havezathe de Kamp has regained its authentic appearance. Nowadays it is used for business/private meetings and events.

Bredevoort - once a walled city - received permission from Stadholder Frederik Hendrik to build a post mill in 1644. This mill - De Prins van Oranje - was built on one of the city's bastions. After the mill burned down in 1869, the current brick beltmolen (belt = a man-made mound) was built a year later. De Prins van Oranje remained in operation for almost the entire 20th century, with necessary modernisation taking place. The mill was restored in 1968 and continued to operate thereafter. In 1990, this seemed to have ended due to damage, but repairs followed two years later. The mill is still milling and is often milled by voluntary millers. De Prins van Oranje is listed as a Dutch national monument.

The farmhouse Het Hemmink is mentioned as early as 1331. In the mid-19th century, the Esselink family lived at Het Hemmink , a larger farmhouse that took its current form in 1903. Due to an inheritance issue, the farm fell into disrepair. In the 1950s, the owner along with his wife died in a car accident. The heirs could not agree on inheritance rights for a long time. In the end, Het Hemmink went to a relative in Hilversum, who did not care for his possession. In the 1980s, the farm was occupied by squatters and decayed completely. During 1995-96, most of the ruin was dismantled, leaving only a few remnants of walls standing today.

The Jacobskerk (St James' Church) is medieval village church of Winterswijk and is located in the center of the village on the Markt. The Gothic-style building has the status of a national monument. The church is dedicated to St James the Greater, the patron saint of pilgrims to Santiago de Compostella. The history of the church dates back to around the year 785 when a small wooden church was built. Around 1225, the first stone church building was built here: a three-aisled nave and a single-aisled choir, remnants of which were found during the last restoration. Mid 15th century a large-scale renovation was started that would last no less than a century. At that time, the sacristy (now the garrison room) was created and the Romanesque nave and tower were retained. In 1507, the Romanesque tower was demolished and replaced by a tower in late Gothic style. Around 1550, rebuilding came to an end and the church, then called Jacobskerk , had its current shape. Nothing remains of the Romanesque part, although its stones were used to build the Gothic nave of today's church. During the Reformation, the name of the church changed into Jacobskerk . Nowadays the Jacobskerk is still used for worship services and is also designated as official wedding location of the municipality of Winterswijk.

Berenschot's Watermolen is located on the river Boven-Slinge and was built in 1749. An mention from 1652 refers to the predecessor of the current mill. Originally, the complex consisted of two mills: a corn mill (now Berenschot's Watermolen ) and an oil mill on the other side of the stream. Between 1652 and 1718, the two mills were owned by the Van Eerde family, owners of the Hazezate Plekenpol (a manor or fortified farmhouse). A new owner had the present mill building built in 1749. Probably the old mill had fallen into too much disrepair. In 1848, the oil mill collapsed and was never rebuilt. In 1911, G.W. Berenschot bought the corn mill, to which it owes its name. In 1960, the mill fell out of use after a major flood and lasted until the 1980s. All those years, there was talk of a restoration, but no action was taken. By the end of 1984, the time had come and the mill was given a major overhaul. Between 1988 and 1991, part of the mill building was restored and converted into a restaurant. The mill/restaurant (a Dutch national monument) is still owned by the Berenschot family.

Watermill Den Helder is a former double undershot corn and oil watermill on the course of the Boven-Slinge near Winterswijk. The watermill is a Dutch national monument. The earliest known mention of the mill dates back to 1303 when it was part of Havezate Plekenpol (a manor or fortified farmhouse). For many years, the mill was called Plekenpolsemolen . At the end of the 19th century, the mill came into the possession of "Jan Helder" and was named Den Helder ever since. In 1922, the mill was sold by auction to “Derk Jan Berenschot”, owner of another water mill nearby. He bought the mills to eliminate competition for his own mill. From 1923, therefore, the mills are no longer in operation. An ice cream parlour was established in the oil mill and the corn mill became a cafe after a conversion in 1934. From the 1970s in the last century, the water mills slowly fell into disrepair. A thorough restoration was completed in 2016 and the watermill is once again operating, albeit for electricity generation. The two buildings have since been used as homes.

De Olliemölle consists of two separate water wheel mills. The one on the left was formerly an oil mill and was changed to a flour mill in 1920. The mill on the righthand side is a corn- and hulling mill. The mills and their predecessors have traditionally belonged to Heerlijkheid Borculo , which came into the possession of the Van Bronckhorst family at the end of the 14th century. Borculo came into the possession of Stadholder Willem V van Oranje via inheritance in 1777. In 1812, during the era of the French Empire, the complex was sold at a public auction. Around 1875, the right-hand mill building housed a chicory factory, which burned down in 1880 but was rebuilt a year later. On 10 August 1925, a tornado destroyed much of Borculo. Damage at the water mills was limited: all the roof tiles were gone but the rest remained intact. In 1957, the Borculo municipality came into possession of the entire mill complex and had it restored in 1966. At the end of 2007, both mill buildings were sold. The new owners established catering establishments in both buildings. De Olliemölle is located in the heart of Borculo on a side brench of the river Berkel.

The Mallumsche Molen is a breastshot mill on the Berkel. A predecessor of the current mill is mentioned as early as 1424. In the 17th century, there were two mills on both banks of the river Berkel: a corn and a paper mill. In the 18th century, there is talk of a corn and oil mill. The corn mill, which burned down in 1746, was rebuilt two years later. The oil mill also burned down in 1755 and was rebuilt, but was demolished in 1917. The corn mill remained in operation until 1943 and became the property of the foundation De Mallumsche Molen in 1948 (since 2004 Stichting Eibergse Molens). This foundation started restoration that year; thirty years later, the mill was restored again. The Mallumsche Molen almost always has sufficient water and is still regularly used by volunteer millers.

The two buildings of the Watermolen van Ruurlo (Ruurlo water mill) are dating back from 1786. Until about 1830, the double water mill was in use. On one side an oil mill, on the other a flour mill. They are now somewhat hidden in the woods - next to Ruurlo Castle - on the old Ruurlose Beek. Presumably, there was already a water mill on this spot in the mid-16th century. Between the two buildings is a bridge with an iron barrage from around 1840 The water wheels have disappeared over time and the mill is also no longer in operation as a water mill. This is partly because it was feared that the mill would draw too much water from the moat of Ruurlo Castle. On the other hand, the owners of one of the buildings do not want to cooperate with the plans to restore and reinstate the watermill.

The history of Kasteel Ruurlo or Huis Ruurlo (Ruurlo Castle) is dating back to the beginning of the 14th century, when it was first mentioned in the archives as a property of Graaf Reinhoud I van Gelre . The castle was first inhabited bij the family Van Roderlo, after which it is most probably named. Kasteel Ruurlo was several times renovated and expanded and shows architecture from five centuries. Its original lay-out is alomost inatct. Its current appearance dates from the 15th and 17th century. In the 15th century, it passed into the hands of Jacob van Heeckeren, the founder of the noble and distinguished family of Van Heeckeren. Castle and estate were owned and managed by the family for more than five centuries through to 1977. During World War II the castle was used as the headquarters of the German General Staff. In 1977 it passed into the hands of the municipality of Ruurlo and was used as town hall till 2005. Hans Melchers, a Dutch art collector, bought Kasteel Ruurlo in 2013. Four years later - after a thorough restoration - it became part of MORE (a museum for Dutch MOdern REalism) with paintings of famous painter Carel Willink and some special creations by the Chinese-Dutch fashion designer Fong Leng.

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.

Huis Landfort (Country Hous Landfort) is located on a location near the German border along the river “Oude IJssel”. The official history of Landfort begins in 1434, when the estate was first mentioned in a document. It was then called “Lanckvoort”, most probably because there was a ford in the river. Landfort looked different in the past compared to the present. In former times it consisted of a square building with four corner towers. Around the house there was a moat with a bridge that led to the entrance door. This was the shape of the house until 1823-25. In those years the house became its current, elongated form. At the same time, the surrounding park was landscaped. In the romantic park there is a separate building: a pigeon tower in Moorish style. During World War II the mansion was severely damaged. In 1970 the family who inhabited the estate was forced to sell it. Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen , a foundation for the protection of nature and landscape in the province of Gelderland, became the new owner. The estate is still owned and managed by the foundation, but the house is sold and will be - after the current restoration - privately inhabited.

Kasteel Slangenburg (Slangenburg Castle) was founded in 1234, but first mentioned in 1354. In the 17th century the castle became the property of Frederik Johan van Baer - a Dutch officer in the military service of Willem III van Oranje - who rebuilt it in 1675 for residential purposes. After Van Baer the Slangenburg has changed hands many times, mostly by inheritance, but twice by sale. The last sale took place in 1895 when the German timber merchant and large industrialist Arnold Passmann took over the castle and adjoining estate. In the beginning only because of the large amount of wood that could be cut there. However, when he visited his new purchase, Passmann was struck by the house and its surroundings and decided to live there every year for some months. Members of the Passmann family are buried in a private cemetery next to the moat of the castle. After World War II all German properties were confiscated by the Dutch government, who thus acquired the castle, which stills forms part of the portfolio of the Rijksgebouwendienst (Royal Buildings Service). Nowadays the castle is used as a guesthouse by the nearby Benedictine Sint-Willibrordsabdij . This monastery was built in the 1950’s and is situated on a part of the castle's former estate. The name Slangenburg most probably derived from a small stream Slingebeek that flows through the area.

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.