Lordship of Wiltenburg

At Oukoopsedijk 8 is the old farm Wiltenburg. The most striking element of this farmhouse, which itself is not particularly old, is the roadside entrance gate, consisting of two stone pillars surmounted by a carved coat of arms. The coat of arms represents a golden lily on a blue field, it is carried by two lions and covered with a crown. Below it are the Latin motto "Quam parva, nulli cedo" ("though I am small, I give way to nothing") and the name "Wiltenburg". This entrance gate has the status of a national monument and recalls the history of the dubious high lordship of Wiltenburg.

In 1637 there is a piece of land the size of 2 morgen (about 1.7 ha) with the name "Wiltenburg". It was originally owned by the Viscount family De Merode van Montfoort. He sold the land in 1661 to Jacob de Vrije, whose descendants had a "herenhuyzinge" with farm and other buildings built there. The mansion served as a summer residence for the De Vrije family, who lived in Gouda.

In 1736 Samuel van Velthuijsen bought Wiltenburg and sold it in 1753 to his son-in-law Jan Cordelois Jr. This Rotterdam patrician called himself "Vrijheer van Wiltenburg" and bombed his mansion, the farm and the associated land on very dubious grounds into his own "high lordship", where he himself appointed a rear admiral, had justice administered and marriages concluded. A court book was compiled, in which sales and wills were also registered for rear admiral and aldermen of Wiltenburg.

That law book disappeared in the 19th century, but it was still there in 1821. This is evident from an extensive report made that year by the Ministry of Justice in response to a conflict with Willem Butter, who was the owner and resident of Wiltenburg at the time. Butter felt that on the basis of the past of the high lordship he should be exempted from tax and could form an independent free state of Wiltenburg. The basis for all this was a number of documents, in a box. That box, according to Butter, was unfortunately lost. The case ended in defeat for Butter: his alleged rights were not recognized.

Local historians still wonder where Butter's casket and wiltenburg's old court books went. These pieces could shed more light on the enigmatic history of this high glory.

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