Sheep pasture

The Sheep Meadow in Middelkerke is being grazed today by donkeys. Sheep farming was quite important in this region, as we learn from place names such as the Schaperie and the Schaepkot. In documents, we often find the term 'berquariae' mentioned along the coast. A berquaria was a leasehold sheep farm, meaning the actual owner was the Count of Flanders, who granted the land with the farm to someone else. In return, a silver tax was paid. Sheep not only provided wool but also meat, leather, and other derived products. We also find traces of this in old documents: there is mention of a 'Dode Lamtiende', a type of rent that sheep farmers had to pay on count’s land from the proceeds of slaughtering lambs. The lands of the Count of Flanders were mainly used for sheep farming, but they also served as a source of income for various abbeys. The derived products gained importance especially from the twelfth century, when our market was in competition with English wool, which was of better quality than the Flemish. Long before the dykes were built, there was already settlement and activity on the mudflats: among other things, shepherds found this a suitable place for their herds. It is therefore not surprising that some sheep farmers settled here even after the dykes were constructed. The first dykes that suggest a clear economic benefit were the ring dykes around Westende, Stene, Slijpe, and Middelkerke. These likely date back to at least the 10th century. They are dykes that were literally built 'around' a center, with the aim of protecting the enclosed area, which then contained hayfields or livestock. It goes without saying that such expensive interventions usually occurred at the initiative of the wealthier members of society. Here, it was probably the Count of Flanders. Unfortunately, these ring dyke structures have become almost invisible in the landscape today. There is also a toad tunnel present, allowing toads to cross the road safely.

Toerisme Middelkerke