Urban nature: something special for summer

With so many species in stark decline in the countryside, the urban environment is increasingly becoming a refuge for certain species. Most plant species that inhabit the urban landscape are generalists, easy propagators, speedy developers or heat and drought tolerant. For some plants the urban landscape has become a growing place because of a specific growing environment combined with a favourable management regime.

The Broad-leaved Helloborine (Epipactis helleborine) is a woodland orchid found all over Europe and Asia. I saw large clumps (left) growing in the garden of a home for the elderly beneath some hollies. The Perennial Pea (Lathyrus sp.) used to grow in grassland and in cornfields. These plants (middle) with their odourless bright pink flowers were growing in the grass verge along a gyratory road. The Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) is a biannual or short-lived plant that grows on moist sandy soils on the edges of woodland or along hedges. I encountered this rare plant growing next to a path in a 1920s park with large trees and shrubs.

Examples of Saxon Borg-towns in Twenthe, Part 2

There are eight examples of Saxon Borg-tows in Twenthe, that all share similar spatial characteristics. Two of these never grew into a "proper town": Goor and Diepenheim. The other six - Oldenzaal, Rijssen, Ommen, Ootmarsum, Enschede and Delden - grew into small town that sometimes expanded considerably with the industrialisation of the late nineteenth century. Most however have remained small market towns often with an imposing castle or Havezate (Manor house) in close proximity. The firstfour examples have been discussed in Part 1, the other four will be discussed below.

Ommen

Near a ford on the Vecht river on a river dune a settlement grew. The name is probably derived from öne or une and means "place by the small river". On the edge of the higher ground a stronghold was constructed to protect the river crossing. The Bishop of Utrecht imposed a river toll on the Vecht. As a result the settlement near his manor grew. So it was decided to expand the settlement. To better facilitate this the bishop granted Ommen city rights in 1248. the settlement was expanded northwards in a regular fashion following the regular parcellation of the land. In 1382 Hugo van Verssen receives the manor of 't Laer of the bishop. Sometime in the previous century the bishop had moved his seat from the town to a new location south of the river. A country house on moated site with  a formal garden still stands here.

The planned town of Ommen sits on higher ground near an important river crossing. The town hall (t) is also located near the bridge. The church (c) stands close by with a market (M) laid out directly adjacent to the former stronghold or borg. On the river Vecht the oldest watermill [m] was replaced by another watermill (m).The manor house (h) of 't Laer is situated south of the river. 

Ootmarsum

Around 770 one of the earliest churches of Twenthe was built in on the compound of a local chief who also gave his name to Ootmarsum (the place name means: Homestead of Otmar). In 917 St. Radbod dies in Ootmarsum. The moated and fenced church freedom thus gains importance and a service settlement grows around it. In 1196 the Drenths plunder the village and burn it to the ground. Between 1200 and 1400 a new -enlarged- church is built.

In the thirteenth century several noblemen from Twenthe bequeath land to the Teutonic Knights. In 1262 an outpost of the central Bailiwick in Utrecht is founded in Ootmarsum. It is located on a moated site just outside the village. The choice for Ootmarsum was probably actively supported by the bishop as it made it easier to control this remote corner of his domain. On the moat a large watermill was built, with a second one further downstream. With the Teutonic Order in place the old stronghold is abandoned.

Around 1300 Ootmarsum receives its city charter from the bishop. So an outer moat is dug and earth banks are raised. The moat is fed by a channel from the nearby marsh called the Mos. A space behind the church is designated for markets, but proves to small so a new market is created within the town, resulting in two market places.

Ootmarsum is a lovely example of the iconic Borg-town pattern with the church (c) within the confines of the former borg and central in the town. Near the church a market (M) has been laid out with the town hall (t) directly on it near the church. A seccond market and church are located on the edges of the town. Directly outside of the towns defences a manor house (h) stands, here directly adjacent to the watermill (m).

Enschede

There are no written records of the early history of Enschede, although it is clear from archaeological finds that there was a borg or stronghold on higher ground between the Roombeek and Glanerbeek, two small rivers. The stronghold lay central to the Marches (Marken in Lower-Saxon) of Usselo, Esmarke, Driene, Lonneker and Twekkelo. The name Enschede also means on the border (the place where the separate Marches met). These marches fall under several overlords: the bishop of Utrecht, Werden Abby or the Maltese Knights of Bergsteinfurt.

The former stronghold of Esmarke lies at the heart of the historic city. Here a grain store, barn and stables were built to collect the tithes. Next to this a shield-shaped church freedom was marked out around which a settlement grew. In 1319 the bishop grants a town charter that includes the right to host markets, raise taxes and built a defensive wall. A moat is excavated and a paling raised on top of an embankment that encircles the existing settlement. The settlement was already surrounded by a fence before 1300 (as there is mention of two gates at that time). In 1325 the city receives full city rights as a court is installed and a weighing house and trade hall are built. In 1465 a second circular moat is completed. This moat is surrounded by a thorny hedge. The borg had been demolished by 1449 as it had lost its defensive function. In 1535 a local nobleman builds the Nye Borgh in the southern corner of the city. Around 1600 the defences are dismantled and the town sleeps until textile manufacturing and other industries create rapid growth after 1860.

In Enschede the oval shape is indicative of it being a Borg-town, but here the former defensive mount of a borg-keep is still visible behind the town hall (t). As an important town there are three churches (c) and two markets (M). The watermills were located at some distance in the Marches.

Delden

This place is first mentioned in 1036 when the bishop of Paderborn grants his manor or estate (praedium can mean both) of Theldene to the collegiate church of Busdorf. It is likely that soon after a chapel or small church was built on the edge of the estate. This church and the tithe was gifted by the bishop of Utrecht to the collegiate church of St Peter also in Utrecht in 1118. This means there was a manor or grange here that fell under the dominion of the bishop. In 1294 the collegiate sells its property on to the collegiate church of St Lebuin in Deventer. As the collegiate church of Busdorf sells its property in 1239, both are different entities. there is clearly a large landed estate called Delden that can be equated to Deldeneresch, a number of Marches on a fertile ridge of land and a stronghold  the edge of the ridge on an old road that must be located around the Church of St Blaise. Saint Blaise is the patron saint of Paderborn, making it likely that they are responsible for the foundation of the first church.

The stronghold with grange and church would have been surrounded by an earth bank or paling. To expand the grip on his dominion the Bishop of Utrecht grants special rights modelled after Oldenzaal on what he calls Nyedelden (New Delden) in 1333. Around the original compound a wide encircling moat is dug and an earth bank raised: with a paling on top and a thorny hedge at the foot of it. A new market place is laid out and on the landed estate (that had come in the possession of a fief of the bishop) a new grange was erected known as Erve Hofmeijer (Farmyard of the Sherriff). The new vassal was Herman of Twickelo who expanded his property House Eysinc into the caste Twickel that now stands in the former marsh at the foot of the fertile ridge.

The small circular town of Delden occupies an area far smaller than the neighbouring estate of Twinckel Castle (h). The oval moat and bank encircled a small Borg-town with a church (c) at the site of the former grange. The market (M) is located directly adjacent. The town hall (t) stand on the main thoroughfare.

Deventer, Dutch gables in an historic trade city

Most tourists flock to Amsterdam to marvel at what they know as Dutch gables on the narrow town houses along the canals of the canal belt. Most historic trade cities in the Low Countries feature these narrow high houses with decorative gable ends. Deventer, once a member of the Hanseatic League, is no exception. The centre is packed with historic buildings that feature a variety of styles including stepped, neck and bell gables, and the combined types that gave greater scope for individual expression for the home owner.

Most urban homes doubled up as a workshop, store or warehouse with living accommodation on the ground floor and first elevation. In the basement there was room for a kitchen ad servants quarters or it was a storage cellar. The loft space was often set aside for storage and thus many houses have hoists attached (left). An elongated neck gable next to a spout gable and a stepped gable, showing an overview of stylistic possibilities. Narrow alleys run in between the high density housing. The so-called Bergkerk is -as the name suggests- actually built on a mount.

Brick was the material of choice for urban buildings after 1500 as clay was readily available along the Issel river. On the left an example of a combined bell-spout gable from the 16th century. The neighbouring building with the large windows is almost two centuries its junior. Combined gables where very fashionable in Deventer as the middle picture shows with on the left a double neck gable, a bell-neck gable in the middle and on the right -over the carriage entrance- a bell gable with a central column. Not all seventeenth century houses had the iconic gable ends, but had hipped roofs that were used as part of the living accommodation. When there is no need for warehouse storage in the loft space the expensive high gable ends aren't constructed.

Examples of Saxon Borg-towns in Twenthe, Part 1

There are eight examples of Saxon Borg-towns in Twenthe, that all share similar characteristics. Two of these never grew into a "proper town": Goor and Diepenheim. The other six - Oldenzaal, Rijssen, Ommen, Ootmarsum, Enschede and Delden - grew into small town that sometimes expanded considerably with the industrialisation of the late nineteenth century. Most however have remained small market towns often with an imposing castle or Havezate (Manor house) in close proximity.

Goor

On a stronghold near the marshland and moors surrounding the Regge river the seat of the Counts of Goor stood. They ruled the County of Twenthe on behalf of the Bishop of Utrecht an were important marshals. The counts lead the bishop's army on several occasion. The Borg also known as Huys te Gore was the official residence of the bishops in the county. As the location of the official residence the place was granted full city rights in 1263. So an earth bank was raised with wooden gates on  the 3 entrances to the Borg. The castle and the fledgeling town within the defences were completely destroyed by Gijsbrecht van Bronckhorst in 1348. It would never be rebuilt and the church (c) was relocated towards the watermill (m). The town hall (t) stood opposite the church. The settlement had no market square and developed beyond the moated site that served as a refuge in times of conflict.

The spatial pattern of Goor shows the former borg at some distance of the "new town" that grew around the watermill at the crossing of the river Regge. The place name "Goor" means marshland.

Diepenheim

The name Diepenheim also indicates the original landscape as it refers to a homestead (heim) on a deep canal or river (diep). On an artificial island in the Regge river, near a natural ford, a castle stood. In 1177 the castle on the moated site is destroyed and moved to a new site further west. In 1224 the manorial chapel was elevated to parish church. The Lord of the Manor promoted his settlement further by widening a street into a market and excavating a moat around this service settlement. This "market town" never received official city rights from the overlord (the Bishop of Utrecht) but served as a town nonetheless. It still sits as a small town surrounded by several country houses one of which is the successor to the old Huis te Diepenheim.

In Diepenheim the old stronghold is still visible as a more or less triangular section with the parish church (c) west of the town with its market (M). The new Manor house (h) is situated beyond the river on a moated site.

Oldenzaal

In the heart of this city lies an old freedom that is also the reason that a town and later a small city came into existence here. The clue lies in the name Oldenzaal which is Saxon for "The Old Hall" and refers to an enclosed Franconian manor where around 769 the travelling Monk Plechelm founded a church. In 954 the Bishop of Utrecht founds a collegiate chapter here and secures the old borg as a church freedom. In 1049 the settlement is granted the right to host a weakly (goods) market and 4 yearly  (cattle) markets. The wider town is then surrounded by a moat and a paling. Full city right are granted somewhere before 1240 and the town builds new defences; first an earth bank and later city walls with bastions and a double moat.   

Although basically a Borg-town Oldenzaal lacks the manor house and water mill in close proximity to the town. At the core stand the church of St Plechelm (c) and the Town hall (t) with 3 markets (M). This large number of markets combined with the presence of a hospital (H) indicated the status as a city.

Rijssen

This historic Borg-town has been changed beyond recognition by post-war interventions in the urban fabric. Originally a stronghold of the Counts of Dale Rijssen was granted city rights in 1243 by the bishop of Utrecht to balance the power in Twenthe  as a result of a disagreement with the Count in Goor. Immediately after the charter, with the city rights modelled on the Deventer-charter, was passed work starts in raising a high earth bank with paling and excavating a moat. The site of the town was strategically placed along an old thoroughfare on the transition of low-lying marsh (mors in Saxon) and higher ground. The town is located at some distance from the Regge river. In 1350 the town joins the Hanseatic League. Its status is also supported by the existence of a Richterambt (a Sheriff Court). Before 1334 the manor house is moved to a new site east of the town.

The residents (burgers) of the cities of Deventer, Hasselt, Kampen and Zwolle are decreed free travel through Twenthe by Bishop Johan van Diest in 1328. In his decree he also makes special mention of the Stalle to Risnen. Rijssen is thus defined as a station on a route through the County. For this an older site was used that lay just beyond the oldest borg-enclosure. The moated site was drawn into the 13th-century fortifications and thus doubly protected. Thus the Knightly Manor of Bevervoorde (Litterally Beaver ford) became an instalment for travellers across the region.

The pattern of Rijssen shows the iconic rounded shape of a Borg-town with a church (c) at the centre, with the town hall (t) opposite on the edge of the former stronghold. The new manor house (h) is situated outside of the defences. The watermill (m) is located on the outer moat (on the original Risse or watercourse that gave Rijssen its name). The market (M) is again a widened street, here just beyond the outer moat, the Havezate Bevervoorde (b) is located within creating a distinctive pattern that indicates a planned but never executed extension on the west side of the town.