Diestian iron sandstone in the Klokkenkuil

You wouldn't expect it, but here in the sandy Kempen natural stone was quarried, the so-called Diestian iron sandstone. This rusty brown stone can easily be found in historic buildings such as the rural churches. The stone was created several million years ago when the sea deposited iron-rich sand here. After the retreat of the sea, the banks of iron sandstone were formed. These iron banks were not uniform everywhere. Rain and wind caused the soil near the iron banks to wash away, but not the iron banks. These remained clearly recognizable as hills in the landscape. The Molenberg here is one of them, but the Kapittelberg nearby is also a hill of iron sandstone. The pit where we are standing was a quarry. Only when material was needed to erect or repair a building, the stones were cut loose. This activity was always temporary and had a concrete purpose. As a result, these quarries could sometimes lie unused for years.
The stone was not exported to other regions as often. If it happened, e.g. in the direction of Antwerp, the stones were transported along the water, over the Nete.

Where does the name 'Klokkenkuil' come from?
During the French rule, the French stole the bells from the churches. During the Boer War, the brigands used bells to summon the rebels. The French administration wanted to prevent such an action in the future. But the bronze of the bells, the bell food, could also be used for forging cannons. Legend has it that the local inhabitants buried the bells from the churches here and hid them from the French. This was the story that the teachers of Herselt told the schoolchildren, but in reality the explanation is less of heroic than a story of hard labor. To drive the heavily loaded wheelbarrows with chunks of iron sandstone out of the pit, the workers had to drive up the slope of the pit in a large arc. This is how the bell shape was created.

Jan Rymenams