Historische aanleg, Duinbeekseweg bij 25

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

On both the north and south sides of the rectangular country estate, rows of trees were presumably laid out in parallel in the seventeenth century running from east to west; these still existing avenues give the estate a fundamentally rectangular structure; straight paths on the east and west sides complete the rectangle; of this area two-thirds on the west side was planted as a star wood with four sections, each crossed diagonally by paths; of this pattern there now remain, besides the north and south avenue, as well as a transverse avenue connecting the north and south avenues, two diagonals as diverging paths in both eastern sections; the beginning of the paths lies near the - now vanished - house; on the southern diagonal there remains on the south side, from the so-called Mosplek, still a path (the remaining half of the second diagonal in this section) that leads to the southern avenue; the diverging ends of the diagonals are connected by the transverse avenue. The most important part of the early eighteenth-century layout is situated in the middle on the longitudinal axis of the estate; two elongated ponds parallel to the main axis with straight angled ends, which form each other's mirror image, lie near this axis; from the former house a straight path led over the longitudinal axis to a basin situated in the middle of the transverse avenue; hedges were presumably planted on either side of the path; somewhat further apart, but closer to the former residence, two rectangular ponds were laid out, considerably smaller in area; the northern one begins near the service dwelling; next to the southern one there was presumably also a hedge; the ponds do not have mortared or stone walls; these four ponds formed by their location and proportions particularly striking components of the geometric composition, which together with the diverging paths from the former residence, when looking in a westerly direction, could be entirely overlooked; the so-called Hattinga map from around 1750 shows this pattern in its entirety unchanged. To this pond layout there was presumably around 1750 added the round basin on the transverse avenue. The basin is an earth construction, which is in good condition. At present this composition is less noticeable due to the dense vegetation; the straight path from the beginning of the diverging paths was around 1800 replaced by a winding path; moreover, the view of it from the current residence located on the east side of the estate is obstructed by undergrowth and tall trees.

The symmetrical pattern of this garden layout occurring in the early eighteenth century in the Netherlands and - following suit also in Great Britain - in which rectangular water features with earth walls play a dominant role in the garden layout, is in this form of four ponds an authentic and rare relic in the Dutch history of parks and country estates. In the eighteenth century there were between Domburg and Oostkapelle about ten ponds with straight walls present which were not intended as castle moats, but rather carried a "canal" character; besides those at Berkenbosch only three remain, two of which near Domburg on unprotected historic country estates; the others have been converted into winding ponds or disappeared because the estate was not maintained, or the land was used for the development of a residential neighbourhood.

After the middle of the eighteenth century a winding path was laid out north of the straight tree avenue on that side; from the eastern boundary to approximately one-third of the length of this avenue this path still exists as a walking path, the other part is now in use as a bridle path; the walking path leads to an open area on which an approximately knee-high octagonal Stone Table stands, surrounded by a yew hedge; it is said that there was a similar Stone Table near Domburg. On the west side near the boundary with Westhove a winding path was similarly laid out at that time, which still appears on a walking map of Domburg from around 1900, but is now gone. The winding path that leads from the former residence between the large ponds to the basin seems to have been laid out around 1800.

On a drawing dated around 1800, the maker of which is not known, there are shown besides the four ponds and the diverging paths, also east of the former residence a large goose-foot, with its starting point on the longitudinal axis behind this house, and a second smaller goose-foot opposite with its starting point at the intersection of the longitudinal axis and the path on the east side; both goose-feet are still shown on map material from 1865, around 1900 they are gone; the same applies to a straight path from the basin towards the west. Besides these geometric patterns, the two winding paths near the western boundary and the northern boundary of the estate are also indicated on this drawing; the open area with the Stone Table also appears to be drawn on the winding path on the north side. In the northern section of the large goose-foot a geometric garden (vegetable garden) can be recognised in oblong sections of four by four. Furthermore, from the southern avenue towards the former residence a number of linden trees are drawn, four of which are still more or less present in younger condition as regrowth.

The old map material of the estate always shows a more or less dense vegetation, with the exception of the area between the ponds and the business outbuildings. Currently the estate is still densely vegetated, including the section of the old layout with the ponds and the diverging paths; in the western part these are mainly birches and in the eastern part oaks; the two winding paths, which lead to the Goudvissenkom and the Stone Table, pass between rhododendrons.

The current planting generally consists of old timber from around 1800, but also considerable planting after 1945. The planting of the tree avenues is as follows: the northern avenue also called the Noorddreef (viewed from east to west) on the north side a continuous hedge of beech, on the south side first beech and oak, and then oak; the southern avenue has oaks on both sides; the north diagonal is planted with oaks (from 1900 and 1950), the south diagonal has trees from 1900 at the end; the transverse avenue has oaks north of the basin (1900), to the south it is not planted with old timber.

Between the ponds we find Thuja plicata, at the round basin three swamp cypresses. Near the vanished residence stands a previously pruned yew. In front of the manor house there are two oaks (19th century) and on the southwest corner of the house a yew (1900). In the sections on the east side between the avenues and paths stand near Westhove: oaks from 1800 and birches from 1900; between the ponds and the basin: oaks from 1800 and other deciduous timber from 1945; between the southern avenue and the manor house: oaks from 1800 and other deciduous timber from 1945; between the southern avenue and the south diagonal beech/oak from 1800 and other deciduous timber from 1945; to the right of the drive oak/other deciduous timber from 1800 and other deciduous timber from 1945; between the manor house and the stable building: elms from 1850; along the Groeneweg some elms, near the boundary with Westhove as avenue planting (south side) and approximately in the middle freestanding from 1920.

At present there are open rolling lawns with edge planting to the west and south of the residence with the associated sight lines from this house. In the west linden, maple, plane tree and two lindens near the west gable of the house; in the south oaks and yew; all these trees were presumably planted around 1900. The drive to the current manor house begins near the place where the Duinbeekseweg crosses the Groeneweg, where it continues at right angles to the east and there forms the boundary of the estate; at the beginning of the drive some beeches and lindens, as well as a yew (all from 1900); the avenue is lined by horse chestnuts and rhododendrons and runs in a more or less straight line to the house; east of the house an open space has been created; the vase with putti and garlands placed in it, and the dates 1881/92 have been brought to this estate from elsewhere; at the edges of this space stands tall timber of oaks (1900); the avenue continues past the house and leads with a bend to the service dwelling and the stable building. A long path, which presumably still dates from the time when the residence stood near the elongated ponds, runs from the southern oak avenue past the service dwelling and the stable building to the Noorddreef; from the stable building from around 1900 a short path connects there; from the point on the southern avenue where the long path begins, from around 1900 both a path leads diagonally to the manor house, and to the northern avenue of the neighbouring historic country estate Duinbeek.