Slot huis Bergh

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

Description component 1: HUIS BERGH.

The house consists of a Medieval complex of outer and inner ward, both surrounded by moats, upon which stands an ensemble of service buildings, residential quarters, gateways, towers and chapel. A gatehouse with drawbridge on the east side provides access to the outer ward. The present appearance of this ensemble is preceded by a highly complex building history, which due to gaps in information can only be described approximately. An important imprint on this present appearance is formed by the last restoration from 1939 under the direction of restoration architect H. van Heeswijk, commissioned by the owner Jan Herman van Heek and in close cooperation with the Rijksdienst voor de Monumentenzorg (State Service for Monument Care). An earlier restoration took place ten years before, but this was substantially destroyed by fire. Regular destruction of the ensemble in the Middle Ages, the Eighty Years' War and a fire in 1735, which destroyed the residential quarter on the inner ward in flames, as well as the countless repairs, embellishments, alterations and extensions in the long history of the castle, make its building history complex. In the last-mentioned restoration, various elements were reconstructed in 17th-century and Medieval style and various historicizing alterations were made, in accordance with the restoration principles of that time, but also a number of 18th-century elements - such as the multi-pane sash windows in parts of the residential quarter on the inner ward - were retained. In this restoration, the creation of a certain varied but homogeneous visual quality, which stimulates the imagination - namely that of a Medieval castle with distinctive building phases from later periods - was an important principle. The renewed construction of a section of curtain wall with crenellations on the east side is, for example, a historicizing addition that was made to strengthen this visual quality. The decay in ruinous manner of this curtain wall to the then already existing lower level was on the one hand an appropriate visual stylistic device to maintain an acceptable appearance from high to low, but also the manner then experienced as appropriate to express the storied history of the castle. Furthermore, the rectangular compartments of which the residential quarter on the inner ward is composed were again provided with their own roofs, whereas in the previous period (since the fire in 1735) these compartments had been covered by an adjoining slate-covered roof. After 1939 this roof covering was also changed. Some compartments retained their slate covering, the others received a 'Dutch' roof covering with black-glazed tiles. The simply rectangular extended staircase in the corner of the main residential quarter and the large square tower on the inner ward were, like the other facades on the inner ward, unplastered and were given a tent-shaped covering with slate (!) topped by a spire. Almost all lower windows of the cross and cloister windows were provided with shutters (one or two white panels with red border). With the exception of the aforementioned multi-pane windows on the southeastern exterior of the residential quarter, all 18th-century multi-pane windows were replaced by cloister and cross windows with leaded glass. The main quarter had only a few dormers on the eastern, southeastern and northern exterior. The dormers on the southeastern side were restored. The remaining dormers were replaced by small dormers, of which one more was found on the round tower on the southeastern side of the outer ward, but these (and also those on the tower) were provided with a somewhat richer hipped roof with overhang, the front slope of which was changed into two slopes with a point (as shown in a drawing before 1625 and in later depictions). The inward-facing gable of the main residential section also received these dormers in rows of four (below) and three (above), as on the northern and eastern exterior of the residential quarter on the outer ward. The spiral staircase tower with Welsh helmet in the corner of the chapel and the main residential quarter received a helmet with knob spire (slate). The tower ("nye wyndeltrap"), which was built around 1728, was unplastered and given a more Medieval character. The bell in the helmet, which was probably used for the adjacent chapel (south side inner ward), was moved to the chapel (built in 1728): for this purpose the west (side) gable of the chapel was raised and provided with a cutout in the spout for hanging the bell. The chapel situated on the storey, which extended inward to the inner courtyard of the inner ward for the needed space on the storey, retained the three multi-pane sash windows. The gable was unplastered and received a coarse-meshed timber-frame division. The extension was now braced by wooden supports. The semi-round doorway next to the square tower on the north side of the inner ward was integrated into a historicizing gatehouse, the side (west) gable of which was closed off by a staircase. Although the restoration in 1939 exhibits greater variation in building phases than before and thus tells a varied building-historical story, there was also previously a homogeneous and varied aesthetic value of the building, due to the partly present plasterwork and the harmonious relationship with the park. Main and outer wards were partly 'wrapped' in park woodland (deciduous and coniferous), the castle moat was narrowed around 1850 to a graceful pond arm in landscape style and on the axis of the main entrance of the main residential quarter a dam was laid across the moat on the central sightline of the plantations situated outside the dike. The inner ward is connected to the outer ward via an earth dam. The entrance to the ensemble is formed by the gatehouse from the first half of the 17th century ("voirste poirt aen den voirhoff") with retaining wall and bridge on the east side of the outer ward, consisting of a double brick gateway passage on rectangular ground plan, whitewashed in the 18th or 19th century, the gables of which curve in a quarter-circle towards the roof (unplastered in restoration, ornamental brickwork with headers placed downwards), covered underneath with a slate-covered hipped roof ("verheven kapken"). Adjacent to the wooden drawbridge (restoration 1939) which rests on the east side against the gatehouse on a brick retaining wall (originally 16th or 17th century) of the moat exterior. On this retaining wall a simple 19th-century iron balustrade, which also encloses the grounds of the Reformed Church towards the moat. The bridge leads to the trapezoid-shaped outer ward which is completely enclosed by a brick curtain wall, also a retaining wall (15th-19th century). This also forms part of the foundation of a number of service buildings situated on the outer ward and a gateway and merges into the masonry. The outer ward as such was possibly laid out simultaneously with the inner ward and dates from the 13th century. Two of the three towers situated on the outer ward were already present in 1450, namely those on the northwest and southwest corners. The semi-round brick tower on the northwest side (so-called Platte tower) was reconstructed in the first restoration in the 20th century (1930) (demolished late 18th century). Adjacent to the southwest tower on the west side lies a wooden bridge to the rampart. The tower is accessible via a brick staircase on the east side. In the tower several cloister windows, now with leaded glass and cloister windows. The tower reconstructed in the northwest corner around 1930 is placed with its straight front gable at an angle to the courtyard of the outer ward. On the ground floor in the middle is a semi-round doorway. On the two storeys each two cloister windows. In the top gable six dovecotes. In the gable protruding semi-round to the northwest, on the two storeys each two cloister windows. The outer ward is accessible via the gatehouse covered with a hipped roof (red tiles) with gatekeeper's lodge, which is braced by a broad buttress placed diagonally against the northeast corner. Gatehouse and lodge were constructed around the middle of the 16th century. In the gatehouse, coming from the east, on the right side a double semi-round gateway passage with double gateway door with diagonal stripes in red and white. Adjacent to the right side the gatekeeper's lodge which encloses the east side of the outer ward. Also covered by hipped roof (black-glazed tiles). On the inner side of the outer ward, the gatekeeper's lodge shows four twenty-four-pane sash windows with shutters. On the left side two twelve-pane sash windows, the right one with shutters. Towards the moat side, during the restoration in 1939, a cross window was made on the ground floor and four arched broad gun slits on cellar level. The gatekeeper's lodge is placed at right angles to and adjoins the monumental brick-constructed steward's lodge, which encloses the north side of the outer ward. In the external corner of both lodges the tower already present in 1450, placed at an angle to this corner and with a semi-round ground plan outward, which at about three-quarters height is narrowed to a polygon (slate-covered curved roofs) and which is covered by a hipped roof (slate) which appears to the outside as a multi-sided tent roof. The lowest storey of the steward's lodge dates back to the 15th century. Between 1611 and 1613 the lodge was heightened by one storey and covered by a hipped roof with tiles (black-glazed tiles on the south side, red tiles on the north side). The wall anchors M.G.Z.D.B.M.Z.B.O.Z. are the initials of Maria Gräfin zu Dem Bergh Markgräfin Zu Bergen Op Zoom. Central in the front gable a semi-round gateway passage. On the storey 9 Empire sash frames (late 18th century) with blinds (restoration 1930 or 1939). On the middle bay a hatch sunken into the gable. On the ground floor on the left a straight entrance door with fanlight and to the right of it two windows as on the storey. To the right of the door three high windows under arched moulding with leaded glass (restoration 1939). In the rear gable of the steward's lodge situated towards the north moat a cloister window and several windows with leaded glass (restoration 1939). The ground plan of the polygonal circular inner ward with curtain and retaining walls and the residential quarters situated on the eastern half was established before the fifteenth century. In the restoration in 1939, below the walking surface of the inner courtyard, a large remnant of a heavy brick curtain wall with a rampart on arches was still found. On the northeast side the original course of the wall was established. At the end of 1938, large fragments of tufa stone were discovered on the inner courtyard in the soil before the entrance step to the main residential quarter, coming from the centrally situated 13th-century round defensive tower on the inner ward (3 meter thick walls, 12 meter diameter). The entrance to the inner ward was formerly in the heavy wall block on the exterior (north) side of the large square tower situated on the north side at the location of the small window at cellar height. Both inside and outside it can be seen that a passage has been bricked up there. This gateway was apparently bricked up when the large tower was built (before 1400) and replaced by an entrance at the place where it still is, directly against the northwest corner of the tower. This semi-round gateway passage perpendicular to the gate of the steward's lodge is distinguished by a sandstone frame with Corinthian pilasters and a cornice above which a relief with the coat of arms of the County of Bergh is carved. On the frieze stands the chronogram: CoMes osWaLDUs sibi Et posteris erexit (Count Oswald erected this for himself and his descendants, 1679). The stonework was supplied by Jan Rendelers from Koesfeld in Westphalia. On either side a medallion with relief is set in, presumably added later, probably from the middle of the 17th century. In the restoration the gateway was integrated into the gatehouse then built in Medieval style. Before 1450 the large square tower and the cellared main residential quarter were constructed; to the latter quarter various alterations and rebuilding were subsequently made. The square tower contained before the restoration of 1939 above the ground floor level three more storeys, the second and third of which were united in this restoration. The ground floor is covered by two barrel vaults which rest in the middle on an arch, the first storey has a wooden ceiling, the second had a ceiling but this was replaced by a passage along the walls, whereby it was united with the third, which is covered by a rib-less cross vault. The very shallow sloping tower roof is surrounded by a parapet with octagonal corner turrets on the corners, which have vaulted roofs (slate). The dovecotes in the original cloister window on the south side on the upper storey were blocked up in the restoration in 1939. The long wing of the residential quarter, the front of which faces the courtyard situated on the western half of the inner ward, was constructed before 1450 and is placed inorganically in the polygon of the inner ward (in the 16th century called the "groote staefve or stove"). The front gable was stripped of plasterwork in the last restoration (applied in the second half of the 17th century). The gable shows above the cross windows (restoration 1939) of the piano nobile the lintels and discharging arches of a set of cloister windows with central mullion and of very lofty appearance. The residential quarter was in the time of Herman van den Bergh (1558-1611) presumably provided with a first storey with roof by the Emmerich city carpenter Willem van Bommel. In the wall anchors on the front gable the names of the patron and his spouse are immortalized: H.S.Z.D.B.M.M.V.B., Herman Graf Zu Dem Bergh Maria Mencia Von Bergen (op Zoom). The cellar spaces of this main residential wing are covered by a system of transverse arches and barrel vaults corresponding to the vaulting of the ground-floor space in the large tower. The present level of the inner ward dates from the time of Count Oswald, who had this level lowered 27 roeden (approximately two metres) to the level of the outer ward. He also had the terrace with terrace steps built centrally in front of the front gable of the main residential quarter in 1701 in Westphalian ornamental style. The double straight entrance door was provided with a heavy and rich frame in the said style. Above the entrance a verse is carved: Deo faVente osWaLDUs et LeopoLDIna eXstrUxerUnt (Oswaldus and Leopoldina built this with God's help, 1701). In the period 1617-1627, presumably in two phases, the two-winged residential quarter was built at the northeast corner of the inner ward. As a result, the inner ward lost its polygonal profile on this side and the present right angle was created. In the brick gables speckled joints from the building period. The rectangular residential compartments on the east and southeast side were presumably constructed at the end of the 17th or at the beginning of the 18th century (windows with multi-pane sash frames). The curtain wall at that location had already been raised high in the second half of the 16th century, possibly for building activities, which are now difficult to trace. These compartments were presumably substantially renewed after the fire in 1735. In 1728 the aforementioned chapel was constructed adjoining the south side. The masonry of the buildings on the outer and inner ward shows various building traces from different older building phases.

Valuation

The KASTEEL HUIS BERGH is of general importance from a cultural-historical perspective:


- because of its age;

- as a relatively well-preserved example of one of the oldest types of outer and inner wards in our country;

- because of the exceptionally rich building history visibly preserved;

- because of the integrity and completeness of the ensemble of moated historical service buildings, residential quarters, curtain and retaining walls, gateways and towers of a ward originally Medieval;

- as an expression of a restoration principle from 1939.