Erp (Netherlands)
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Erp is a relatively small town in the Netherlands the east of the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in between major cities such as Den Bosch (northwest), Eindhoven (southwest) and Helmond (southeast). Before 1994, the municipality of Erp included the villages of Boerdonk and Keldonk. After that year, Erp and the two villages became part of the municipality of Veghel due to government reorganization.
The municipality of Veghel consists of Veghel, Erp, Boerdonk, Keldonk, Mariaheide, Zijtaart and Eerde. The town of Veghel is located a mere 3 miles northwest of Erp and other neighboring towns include Uden (north), Boekel (east), Gemert (southeast), Beek en Donk (south), and Sint-Oedenrode (west).
The town hall of Erp dates from 1791. It lost its main function when Erp was annexed to the municipality of Veghel in 1994. Both the town hall and the Saint Servatius Church are on the list of national monuments.
The old municipality of Erp included the villages of Boerdonk and Keldonk. This area inhabits about 6,000 residents. The current municipality of Veghel, with Erp included, counts almost 37,000 residents.
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[edit] History
The earliest traces of habitation in Erp and its immediate surroundings are found on the town’s southeast side, on the road to Gemert near the Aa River. According to A. Meuwese, local farmers found several funerary vessels from around 300 B.C. in the early 20th century. Gallic tribes that inhabited the region placed the ashes and remains of their deceased in these vessels and buried them in the many funerary fields.
Some funerary fields were located in this particular area and A. Meuwese mentions that a small “heathen” temple supposedly stood at a past bend in the Aa River, but it had been swallowed by the river. The story goes that on Christmas night, one can hear church bells ring at this location. Similar stories have been reported near other funerary fields.
In addition to Gallic pottery, traces of Roman pottery were found. The Roman items are of a later period than the Gallic and are recognizable by their thickness and curled edges.
The area around Erp was inhabited by the Menapii tribe, who roamed the area south of the Rhine River, north of the Ardennes and the Morini tribe, north and west of the Eburones tribe, west of the Meuse River, and east of the North Sea.
Erp is mentioned since the 12th century, as property of a noble family. In earlier records, dating from 1134, Erthepe is mentioned and it is assumed that this is Erp. The first priest in the parish is mentioned in 1360. During this era, Erp was part of the Duchy of Brabant.
In 1579, seven Northern Dutch provinces declared their independence, while Brabant remained part of the Spain of Philip II, son of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia, concluded the Eighty Years' War (Tachtigjarige Oorlog) of the Northern Dutch provinces against the Habsburgs. Brabant was separated and the current North Brabant was incorporated in the newly established, independent country of the Netherlands, while the larger southern parts of Antwerp and Brabant remained under Spanish Habsburg rule until 1713.
After the ravage of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Europe, at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Brabant was reunited in the newly established Kingdom of the Netherlands. This only lasted until 1830, when Belgium declared their independence from the Netherlands and Brabant was divided between the two countries.
In 1940 Erp was occupied by German troops. In 1944, paratroopers participating in the largest airborne operation in history Operation Market Garden liberated Erp and its surroundings. The liberated strip from Eindhoven to Arnhem was later nicknamed Hell's Highway.
[edit] Saint Servatius Church
The old church of Erp was torn down in 1843, and was believed to be from the 14th century. In 1648, when Brabant became part of the Dutch Republic and Catholicism was prohibited, the Protestants settled in the church.
During the Napoleonic era, the Church was handed back to the Catholics, but only after a fierce dispute with the few Protestants living in Erp.
The oldest remains of the parish in Erp are two church bells. The larger of the two carries the inscription: “My name is Maria, in the year of the Lord 1381.” The smaller bell is inscribed with: “My name is Katrina, in the year of the Lord 1412.”
The current Saint Servatius Church was finished in 1844 and is a so-called waterstaat church, designed by architect A. van Veggel in a neo-Classical style. The famous architect Pierre Cuypers redesigned the interior around 1880. From then, the interior took after the neo-Gothic style and was painted with biblical scenes.
One of the most notable items in the church is the beautiful organ, dating from 1848 and created by J. J. Vollebregt. It is one of the more famous church organs in the Netherlands.
In 1951, the entire church interior was painted gray. A couple of decades later, in 1991, the interior was partially restored to the style of 1844, and partially restored to the style of Cuypers.
[edit] People
Henricus Herp (Hendricus de Herp, Henricus Herpius) was born in the early 15th century in Erp. He was an influential theological writer and his most famous work is Spieghel der Volcomenheit. He died in the late 15th century in Mechelen, Belgium.
Anky van Grunsven was born January 2, 1968 in Erp and recently moved back. She is a Dutch dressage champion who won two gold medals in the 2000 and 2004 summer Olympics and four silver medals in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 summer Olympics.
[edit] Sources
Meuwese, A.P.M. Dr. Erp; Gemeente en Parochie, ’s Hertogenbosch: Zuid-Nederlandsche Drukkerij N.V., 1955
[edit] External links
- Official website of the municipality Veghel
- Harmonie OBK - Brass Band in Erp
- RKVV Erp - Football Club in Erp
- Photos of Erp and North Brabant
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