Boundary marker

This boundary marker denotes a historical boundary between the area of the St. Waltrude's Chapter of Mons (abbreviated with SW on the boundary posts) and the area of the Duke of Arenberg (abbreviated on the boundary post with AR). These 19 stones were placed in 1779 to settle the centuries-long dispute between the owners. The story began in 1648 when King Philip IV of Spain "donated" the Hallerbos to the Duke of Arenberg together, as collateral for a loan. When the king could not repay his debt in time, the duke acquired two-thirds of the forest in 1655. The St. Waltrude's Chapter of Mons (linked to the king) remained the owner of one third. After a period of joint management, difficulties arose between the two owners. To put an end to the endless quarrels, they decided to step out of undividedness, and to this end they had the forest measured in 1779. They placed 24 pyramid-shaped "lake stones" or boundary posts with the inscription SW ("of Saint Waltrudis") on one side and AR ("for Arenberg") on the other. Nineteen of them are still on the original dividing line in the forest.

Dromos