De voormalige hoeve Hazeldonk

The former farmstead Hazeldonk was a moated farmstead, mentioned as early as the Middle Ages and remained a substantial farmstead for a long time since then. In 1909, the farm within the moats was demolished. At the same time, the Latin School, which owned the farmstead, built a new farm along today's Hazeldonklaan under Rector Klaasen. This used a lot of building material from the old farmstead, including a wooden door, on which students of the Latin School have left the necessary marks over the years. The names of C.v.d.Berg and J.Borret were carved into the door, alongside dates 1795, 1803, etc.

What the former farmstead Hazeldonk looked like until its demolition in 1909

The last testimonies of the old farmstead even speak of the presence of a double moat. Between the inner and outer moat was a small meadow and an orchard. In 1920, the inner moat was still completely intact and about 5 metres wide. It was bordered by pollard willows and poplars. Part of the moat was filled in 1930 with the first rubbish collected by the municipality. In 1959, the rest of the moat was filled in and the site levelled. Currently, the site is used as pasture land.

A new house in 1446

The enclosed farmstead Hazeldonk has a rich history, dating back to a mention in 1326. In 1383, Jan Jans van Gemert appears to be the owner of the farmstead, which he received on long lease from the Teutonic Order. It then becomes a fief of the Teutonic Order. In 1403, Goyart van Gemert, a son of the last lord of Gemert, appears to be a fief of the Hazeldonk. In 1444, his son Dirk van Gemert , commander of Ramersdorf, became the owner, who immediately transferred the property to Hendrick Becker. Henrick Becker belonged to a substantial family. He married Agnes van Helmond, the daughter of Jan van Berlaer, lord of Helmond. Besides Hazeldonk in Gemert, he owned many other properties. He commissioned the Helmond contractor Maes Blox to build a new house on Hazeldonk in 1446. Perhaps the property was also provided with moats at that time. It is a rare occurrence that an order for the carpentry of a house was put on paper and that the contract also gives a good description of the appearance of that medieval house. The house consisted mainly of carpentry. A timber frame was built with vertical posts and horizontal beams. In that framework, door and window frames were inserted. The rest of the walls were filled with wickerwork and smeared with clay, giving the typical appearance of timber-framed buildings. No other bricks were used in the construction.

Reconstruction of the building built on Hazeldonk in 1446. It is in timber-framed construction, a common building method at the time.

Maes Blox pledged as principal sculder Henric Becker, that between this and all other heylich dach naest comestende den voirs. Henric on Hazeldonck in Ghemert to a house standing there, he will build and set up a house of his own wood of three bound together, on that one end overhanging ii feet, the worms long being xxviii feet, those bound between the stiles wide xxi feet and the beams stabbed xiii feet and up to the walls iiii feet or more and one side of the house will be extended by ii feet. Item noch iiii cruysvensteren dair se hem Henric wijsen sal en ii gelazen vensteren. And Henric will help with this to a construction of two stiles and a beam and the span belonging to it, and when Maes will install the construction and build the house, then Henric will give him the cost without dachutes and everything else at Maes' cost and with fuller wood, and Henric will have the house repaired at his cost. Before the aldermen of Helmont, Art van der Papendonck and Peter Stippelman dated 18-7-1446.

Later owners

After Hendrick Becker, from about 1458 Dirk Janszoon van Gerwen was the owner, who held the position of sheriff of Gemert. The status of the enclosed farmstead suited well the high office he held. After his death, his widow damsel Liesbeth daughter of Robbert van Grevenbroek owned it until 1489. Thereafter, the noble house remained in the family for a long time. Successively they are:

Wijffelet van Gerwen, son of Dirk Jans van Gerwen from 1489 onwards
Jonker Jan Wijffeletszoon van Gerwen , sheriff of Gemert
Walraven Lucaszoon van den Bogaard, husband of Dirkske daughter of Jan Wijffelet van Gerwen from 1544, at least until 1572
Dierk