Easy hikes and walks in Domein De Hees

I kept the mill running all day

History The original chapel probably dates from the Crusades and became increasingly important from the mid-13th century onwards. During the destruction of Brecht in 1584, the church was spared and served as a shelter for the local population from 1589 onwards. Sint-Lenaarts only became an independent parish from the mother church in Brecht in 1842. Gothic church belonging to the Kempen school, built on the orders of Count Antoine de Lalaing and Elisabeth van Culembourg; west tower from 1436-57 built under the direction of Nicolaas Van Haseldonk and Jan Stampert, spire destroyed in 1713; nave, transept, and choir from circa 1530-50. Extensive restoration work on the church (1875-79) designed by Eugeen Gife, including the reconstruction of the south portal (1877); restoration work on the tower (1886-87) designed by Louis Gife. The tower facade was restored in 1934-35 to a design by Jan Sel. Severely damaged during the Second World War, restored in 1946-53. Description Oriented three-aisled cruciform basilica with a square west tower, a five-bay nave, three-bay transept arms with a chapel to the east against the south arm, and a three-bay choir with a three-sided closure. Brick and sandstone church on a sandstone plinth with cut buttresses, sandstone cornerstones and quoins, continuous cordons and scaffolding openings; gable and lean-to roofs (slate) with a ridge turret at the intersection. A tall, segmented west tower with superimposed buttresses and a polygonal south stair tower, a small spire (slate) and corner turrets. A profiled basket-arched doorway, above which are niches with statues of St. Michael, Our Lady, and St. Lenaart (by F. De Vriendt after 1885), and a Gothic three-light window, entirely set in a continuous frame with a pear-bead molding on a plinth. Higher up, registers with Gothic-decorated blind niches and sound holes. The cornice and pointed gables are marked by buttresses that extend into sandstone pinnacles with pediments in the transept arms and choir. The southern transept arm has a chapel of St. Leonard on the east side. Pointed-arched three-light windows in profiled frames, and the transept and choir have tall, richly decorated pointed-arch windows. The southern aisle has a portal in the fourth bay, dating from 1877, designed by Eugeen Gife. A basket-arched doorway in a profiled frame is flanked by pilasters with finials, and is entirely crowned by a balustrade with Gothic tracery.

Impressive church, with a café in front of it.

Windmill and many benches worth seeing.

At the place where the monumental church now stands, there was already a pilgrimage chapel dedicated to Leonardus at the time of the Crusades. This was part of the Sint-Michielskerk in Brecht. In the beginning there were no masses in the prayer house, but in 1262 the bishop of Cambrai gave permission to appoint a chaplain who was charged with reading four masses a week. The village center of “Sint-Lenaarts” was initially called “Houthoven”, but due to the veneration of Sint-Leonardus in the chapel, his name became characteristic of the village over time and the original name fell into disuse.

Sint-Lenaarts is proud of its monumental Sint-Leonarduskerk, which is also called the 'Cathedral of the Heide' because of its exceptional beauty, appearance and wealth. It was completed in brick and white sandstone in 1550, commissioned by Count Antoine de Lalaing and Elisabeth van Culembourg. There used to be a chapel that probably dates from the time of the Crusades and was frequently visited from the 13th century as a place of pilgrimage along the road to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. When Brecht was destroyed in 1584 as a result of the religious turmoil, the church was spared and from 1589 it served as a safe haven for the local population. However, the church suffered much damage during World War II and was restored in 1946-53. More info at https://openchurches.eu/nl/gebouwen/sint-leonardus-brecht

Rest rest and rest some more. Blissful silence. Get away from all the hustle and bustle. Just enjoy.

This stone mountain mill from 1861-62 is the last remaining of the many mills that Rijkevorsel once had. Grain has certainly been milled here since 1440. At the start of the twentieth century, 2 standard mills and 2 stone upper porters were still running in Rijkevorsel. In addition, there were also many horse mills in our municipality, especially in the nineteenth century, some of which were also equipped as oil hammer mills. The belt mill was protected as a monument on 24 June 1993.