Grezweg and the four barracks

Heverleebos is an old forest whose origins, such as for the Meerdaal forest, go back to the Middle Ages and in some areas to prehistoric times. In the beginning of the 12th century the forest was managed by the lords of Heverlee, lords of lords of Bierbeek. Large parts of this beautiful remnant of the coal forest were cleared in the Middle Ages by the Abbey of Park: the zones Parkbos, Kriekenbos, De Jacht... In the 15th century the forest came into the hands of the house of Croÿ. The forest clearings stopped and the function of the forest changed. It became the exclusive hunting ground of the Dukes of Brabant. We follow the Grezweg in a southerly direction. Knight Raes van Graven or Rasse de Grez (1368-1450), lord of Heverlee, Vaalbeek, Bertem, Blanden, Malève and Terbruggen was a meier of Leuven in the 15th century. He was in need of money and sold his landholdings. He sold Heverleebos and Blanden to Anthony of Croÿ, a French-Burgundian statesman (Picardy house) who settled in the Netherlands and put himself at the service of the Duke of Burgundy. Vaalbeek came into the possession of knight Hendrik Magnus, who acted on behalf of the abbey of Groenendaal near Brussels, who remained the owner of it until the 18th century, when it was sold to the house of Arenberg. The Grezweg crosses two straight forest lanes that were built by the Arenbergs in the 18th century: the Prosperdreef and the Damendreef. This crossroads (L'Etoile or The Star) was popularly called the 'Four Barracks'. The forest lanes that were not public roads could be closed off with sturdy bars. A photo from before 1914 shows a closure that was intended to prevent traffic, e.g. during the thaw period, hunting or to protect the young game.

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