Huis Den Beijerd

A 'beijerd' (also spelled 'beyerd' or 'beyaard') would nowadays be called a guesthouse. This building dates back to around 1500 and was part of a 'gasthuis' (guesthouse) established in the early 14th century by the then Lord of Oirschot, Rogier van Leefdael, and his wife Agnes van Kleef. The complex consisted of various buildings with a chapel and a farm. The building called Den Beijerd served as a dining and lodging hall for guests of the Saint George's Guesthouse. These guests were pilgrims making a pilgrimage to distant cities such as Santiago de Compostela, Jerusalem, and especially Rome.

These pilgrimages were often a form of penance. Upon arrival at the guesthouse, the pilgrims received a good meal and a warm bed. After the morning mass in the chapel, they were sent on their way because, in principle, a pilgrim stayed only one night in the beijerd. The heyday of pilgrimages was between 1450 and 1600. In the course of the 16th century, the quality of pilgrims declined. Many were criminals who saw making a pilgrimage as a way to escape their guilt without too much trouble. Also, many vagrants tried to obtain a meal and a bed in the beijerd in a cost-effective way.

The guesthouse also cared for 'de pauperes Christi': the poor of Christ. The sick, disabled, and homeless were accommodated in the other buildings. The guesthouse was governed by the Chapter of Oirschot, in collaboration with the Lords of Oirschot.

When Catholicism was prohibited, the guesthouse gradually lost its function. The main building became a residence, and the beijerd was used for a long time as a wagon shed and horse stable. The building underwent numerous renovations; windows and doors were relocated.

In the 19th century, three Franciscan Sisters from Oirschot took care of the sick and elderly in the guesthouse. The guesthouse quickly expanded, leading to an increase in the number of sisters. In 1864, the guesthouse was recognized as an independent religious community, part of Nazareth Convent. Since then, the function of the guesthouse – elderly care – has not fundamentally changed. Although the sisters are no longer present, the former guesthouse is now a modern residential care center managed by Joriszorg.

In the 20th century, Huis den Beijerd housed Piet van Haaren's fryer for many years. In the 1970s, the building was restored and converted into a residential function. The arcade arches above the windows on the gable ends are unique.