Het Huys ten Donck

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

MAIN BUILDING. Broad and shallow brick mansion with short transverse wings at the rear, consisting of a low ground floor, a principal storey and a low top storey and covered by low hipped roofs with roof gutters and dormers.

Of the facades crowned by a moulding with grouped triglyphs and blocks, the front and rear facades, each nine window bays wide, each have a central risalit of three bays, of which that on the front side has concave corners clad in natural stone and that on the rear side has corner pilasters blocked in brick. Both risalits have arched window frames with carved work in the spandrels and in the axis a similar window in surround, providing access to a balcony, and bear the construction year MDCCXLVI in the moulding. On this latter at the front an carved wooden superstructure has been placed, provided with a clock face and the combined coat of arms Groeninx van Zoelen - van Welderen Rengers, by the latter, completed in 1970 restoration reconstructed after an old image; on the rear facade at the corresponding place stands a triangular wooden pediment, also with clock face (first half 19th century). Against the front facade, which during the restorations in stages regained the original small glazing bars in the windows and which on two rectangular stones bears the inscription HET HUYS TEN DONCK, a low sculpted natural stone stoop, roofed over by the balcony resting on square pillars with triglyphs in the lower edge; wrought iron railings between said pillars and in the balcony balustrade. Carved front door, door panel and carved frame containing the combined coat of arms Groeninx van Zoelen - Noorthey. In front of this facade a strip of hardstone paving, which is also laid around the stoop. Against the rear facade a terrace (in place of the former stoop), roofed over by the balcony resting on Tuscan columns with balusters in the rail (last quarter 18th century); rear door crowned by a carved frame. In the rear and side facades a glazing bar division from the first half of the 19th century.

Internally a remarkable layout with in the central section cross-passages on ground floor and principal storey, on the side of the rooms behind (respectively dining room and great hall) provided with wooden interior partitions containing windows as in the external facades. An exceptionally complete and well-preserved interior, in which wainscoting, stucco ceilings, grisaille overdoors and stucco relief, paintings etc. from the construction period (stucco work by Pietro Castoldi) and some later.