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History
of Beernem
Beernem
was first mentioned on a certificate in 847 as Bernehem.
The name is derived from the Germanic words “Birnu”
and “Hamma”, meaning bear or muddy place in
the shape of a bear and spit of land that juts out into
marshland. For thousands of years it was a desolate area
of forests, heath and marshes. Feudal Beernem was dependant
of Bruges and consisted of several manors. In those days,
the settlement was located mostly north of the current Canal.
South of the Canal lay the infertile and waste heath land
Bulskampveld that covered an area between Torhout and Bellem.
By the end of the 18th century, the area was being developed.
The nature and quiet in the developed areas were very appealing
to the rich nobles. To this day, you can find their castles
hidden in the greenery.
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Sepulchral
monument of Knight de Vrière
Mystery
in 'the forests of Flanders'
In the provincial domain Bulskampveld lies a sepulchral
monument remembering the first murder of the infamous
“Murders of Beernem”. The incidents are
set during the beginning of the 20th century. The mayor
Knight de Vrière did not mind the odd escapade
and one day he fell for the charmes of the wife of Baron
d’Udekem d’Acoz. In 1915 the body of the
Baron was found near ‘t Aanwijs. However, no one
dared accuse de Vrière in public. During the
years that followed this event, more people were murdered.
There were many rumours going round, but it was not
until a reporter from Maldegem investigated the murders
that the rest of Belgium heard of these horrible events.
Eventually two staff members of the mayor were sentenced.
Nevertheless, the murders did not stop. It was only
when the community’s secretary was killed, after
the death of the mayor that the murders finally came
to a halt.
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History
of Oedelem
The
name Oedelem first appeared in written sources in 906. In
those days, it had a different spelling: “Udelhelm”.
This name was derived from the words ‘odila’
and ‘haima’ and it meant “residence of
the heritage or of the domain”. This is quite an accurate
name as the Lords of Praet founded a “manor”
in Oedelem during the 10th century.
However, the history of Oedelem began much earlier. Several
remains of prehistoric inhabitation were found in a burial
mound. There are also traces of Roman occupation, for example,
a Roman water pit found in the clay pit of the former brickyard.
During the Roman era Oedelem, Maldegem and Aardenburg were
the most northerly inhabited communities in the area. North
of these communities lay a vast marshland.
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Brick yard in Oedelem
For
centuries, baking bricks was an industry typically
for Oedelem, due to the clay found in “Oedelem’s
Mountain”. During the Middle Ages and probably
earlier, the men of Oedelem made bricks. The bricks
and roof tiles of the Belfry (14th century) in Bruges
were made in Oedelem. There are still about twenty
clay pits in Oedelem. However, there are no more brickyards,
not even the famous “Briquetteries et Tuileries
d’Oedelem” survived to see modern times.
The engine room with its “armgas” engine,
“gasogeen” installation and diesel engine
is a silent witness of this industry’s glorious
days.
The
Brick yard in Oedelem |
History
of Sint-Joris
The
earliest mentioning of Sint-Joris dates back to 1240. Originally,
this desolate heath land was part of Bulskampveld. For ages,
Sint-Joris was an uninhabited wasteland, small forests,
pools and vast ponds. According to an old tale, a nobleman
was attacked here during a hunting-party, but luckily, he
was rescued. He was so grateful that he decided to build
a chapel dedicated to Sint-Joris. The pillory, the Kooldreef
and Castle ‘de Lanier’ remind us of the Middle
Age manor of Sint-Joris. The Canal also played an important
role in the history of Sint-Joris. For years, men departed
in Sint-Joris to sail to Bruges and Ghent.
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Statue
of a lath cleaver
Sint-Joris,
village of Lath cleavers
In
the 19th century, Sint-Joris became well known for
its typical industry: Lath cleaving. By making several
successive splits, the workers obtained small and
thin laths. These laths were then used for plastering
and stucco. The industry bloomed when wood company
Lemahieu came to Sint-Joris. The entire village
was involved in the industry, and the laths were
even exported abroad. But due to the modern building
techniques that appeared after WWI, lath cleaving
has disappeared..
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