De Oude Toren (Autumn)

Autumn - military activity

Enemy troops continually criss-cross the region in search of food and money from the sixteenth century onwards. When they need to, people bring their belongings to safety inside the graveyard wall. This has disappeared under a planted earthen embankment and deep ditch. After the French Revolution, equal rights are granted to all religious groups and the Roman Catholics are able to get their church back. But it’s in a poor state of repair and a long way away from any settlements. There’s also an excellent barn church in the centre now. The church is demolished, the graveyard is abandoned and the church bells are moved. All that remains of the church today is its tower.

Soldaten plunderen een herberg, etching by Jacques Callot, 1633 (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam).