The old rectory of Kortenberg

The first rectory of Kortenberg was located by the mountain church. The earthen building was destroyed by soldiers in 1632. Then a new rectory was built, also an earthen house 'De Verckensdelle' on Kiewitstraat just outside the abbey wall. The earthen house contained a cellar with a room above it. In 1634, a stone house was built against it in white sandstone. It consisted of a room with a fireplace and a portal. The rectory was not much of a place and was rented out by the pastors. They usually stayed in the abbey themselves. Long legal battles took place between the pastors and the abbey. In 1725, a decision was made. The rectory would be renovated. The earthen tube was demolished. A new wing with two floors was erected against the stone house. In 1732, the stone house was also raised. In 1768, the rectory was extended along the back side. Notable features are the typical 18th-century pointed arch windows. The rectory evolved towards a bourgeois house. From 1798 to 1811, the national guard of Kortenberg was housed in the rectory. During the Dutch period, the rectory was famous for the library of Pastor Michael Gaethofs with its 1000 to 1500 volumes. In 1841, Kortenberg became the scene of a judicial error. Pastor Gaethofs was assaulted. The Court of Assizes of Brabant mistakenly convicted three suspects: Jan-Baptist and Henri Bonné and Jan-Baptist Geens, peddlers from Lier. In 1843, the real criminals were caught and convicted. The three innocent peddlers were then released. In 1851, Pastor Joannes-Henricus Aerts established a secondary school for boys in the rectory. In 1971, the municipality of Kortenberg bought a house on Bosstraat as the new rectory. The old rectory remained empty. In 1988, the municipality sold the old rectory to Baron Bruno de Cartier and his wife Sophie Vinois, who had the building, entrance gate and old wall beautifully restored. The tall newly planted hornbeam-lime hedge is stunning. The old rectory was classified by decision of February 24, 1979.
Bibliography:

J. NIJS. The rectories – in H. VANNOPPEN. Kortenberg 1095-1995. Borgerhout, 1995, p. 257-265.

F. MAES. Kortenberg, its abbey, its old residences - Eigen Schoon and De Brabander, 1955, p. 297-298.

H. VANNOPPEN. One hundred Kortenberg buildings. Winksele, 1991, p. 14-16 (No. 2. The old rectory).

Gemeente Kortenberg