Oirschot

The Armenhoef is a monumental farm on the Oirschotseweg 117 in the North Brabantian town Best in the Netherlands. The Armenhoef is the oldest, still in use farm of North Western Europe.By archaeological building research in 2009 the timber frame of the barn was determined to date back to 1263. The modern farmhouse itself dates to different periods (see final two paragraphs). The farm is a monument and was in urgent need of restoration. The government was prepared to provide a contribution to this restoration. Also, the building has been recognized as a monument. This deviates from state policy not to designate buildings dating from the period before 1940 as a national monument.The name of the farm has to do with the former function. Armenhoef means Poor People Farm. The proceeds of this then-largest farm in Best were used for poor aid. The municipality has recognized the building as a municipal monument because of its cultural, historical, architectural and scenic value. Elements such as the age, the integrity of the farm and the function for poor relief played a role. To the state, the age of the farm and the rare building characteristics, such as the barn overhang above the north facade, was decisive for admission to the qualification procedure as a national monument.The modern day construction consists of a number of building phases, the most important of which date to the 13th, 16th and 18th centuries. The first of these building phases dates back to 1263 based on dendrochronological dating methods. This very precise dating method failed to work for the succeeding periods, partially because the later periods largely re-used wood from the original construction. The other phases were dated on the basis of radiocarbon dating and historical records (as well as relative chronology). Despite the fact that the wooden bents and walls from the 13th century have largely changed, traces on the (re-used) medieval building materials present a very reliable picture of how the building must have originally looked during that period and how farmsteads changed over time. The outline of the original farmstead of width and height is largely the same as the one existing today, but there were slight expansions north- and southwards and the residential (southern) part is a bit higher.In the 13th century, the first farmstead was built on the location, part of which still exists in the modern-day building. The central construction was built on small pier foundations, which are blocks of brick supporting the beams. The smaller beams on the outer walls were directly placed into the ground. The wooden construction was a common assembly with "pair beams" (Dutch: koppelbalken). In the 16th century, the farm was slightly expanded in northern direction. At the same time, the bent of the northern half of the existing farm, including most of the working area, was changed from a common assembly to a reversed assembly with anchor beam bents (Dutch: ankerbalkgebinten). The brick foundations were enlarged during this period and many of the original building materials were re-used. The southern half, including the entire residential part, remained largely intact in overall structure until the third main phase of construction of the 18th century. In the 18th century, the wooden outer walls covered with daub were replaced by more durable brick walls. The original wooden construction of the residential part was replaced, by which the roof was subsequently not supported by beams anymore, but by new brick walls. It is uncertain whether the wood that originally supported the residential part was partially re-used in the interior of the modern residence of the building. The southernmost section of the working area still contains one traditional bent of the original 13th century wooden construction, which is the oldest known aboveground construction of a farmstead of the Netherlands and perhaps of the wider region of Northwestern Europe. The residential part expanded slightly further southwards.

Oost-, West- en Middelbeers was a municipality in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It included the villages Oostelbeers, Middelbeers, and Westelbeers. The municipality existed until 1997, when it became part of Oirschot.

Wintelre is a village in the municipality of Eersel in the province of North Brabant, the Netherlands. Wintelre is part of the Acht Zaligheden (Eight Beatitudes), like Eersel, Duizel, Steensel, Knegsel, Netersel, Hulsel en Reusel. The village was first mentioned in the 13th century as Winterlo. The etymology is unclear.In 1320, a Mary chapel was built in Wintelre. In 1570, it was replaced by a church, but was turned over to the Dutch Reformed church in 1648, and started to decay due to the small size of the Protestant congregation. In 1822, a new Catholic church is built. A tower was added between 1857 and 1859. Between 1930 and 1931, a new church was built next to the old one. The old church was later demolished, but the tower remained.Wintelre was home to 435 people in 1840.

Middelbeers is a village in the municipality of Oirschot in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located between Oirschot (c. 6 km) and Hilvarenbeek (c. 7 km). It is one of the three Beers villages.

What The Hack was an outdoor hacker conference held in Liempde, Netherlands between the 28th and 31st of July, 2005.

Vessem is a village in the southern Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Eersel, North Brabant. Cultural attractions include the Jacobusmolen windmill and several galleries. The village was first mentioned in 1245 as Veseme. The etymology is unclear. Vessem is a church village which developed on a sandy ridge along the Kleine Beerze.Vessem was home to 581 people in 1840. It used to part of the municipality of Vessem, Wintelre en Knegsel until 1996 when it was merged into Eersel.

Het Groene Woud (The Green Forest) is a special area of the Netherlands which is located in North Brabant between the cities of Tilburg, Eindhoven and 's-Hertogenbosch. It includes nature reserves such as the Kampina, the Oisterwijk forests and fens, Velderbos and the Dommel. In 2004 "Het Groene Woud" is designated by the government as a National Landscape. This is to prevent the area between the three large cities from becoming more urbanized. The combination of nature, sustainable agriculture and environmental recreation form a valuable cultural and historical landscape. "Het Groene Woud" covers a total of 7,500 hectares of marshes, meadows and agricultural landscape. It covers the municipalities Boxtel, Sint-Oedenrode, Schijndel, Sint-Michielsgestel, Best, Oirschot, Oisterwijk, Haaren and Vught. In Het Groene Woud, many species of mammals can be encountered: These include: red deer (introduced in 2017), roe deer, European badger, Eurasian harvest mouse, European polecat, European water vole, European hedgehog, Eurasian red squirrel, common pipistrelle, European hare, brown long-eared bat, stoat, serotine bat, Eurasian beaver, European mole, Natterer's bat, least weasel, red fox, Daubenton's bat, beech marten and several species of shrew, dormice, apodemus and arvicolinae. Hiking, canoeing and cycling activities are possible in this area.

Vessem, Wintelre en Knegsel was a municipality in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It was located west of Eindhoven, and covered the villages of Vessem, Wintelre and Knegsel. The municipality existed until 1997, when it merged with Eersel.

Halfmijl is a hamlet in the west of the municipality of Veldhoven in the province of North Brabant, the Netherlands. The hamlet is located two kilometers east of the village Vessem and consists of eight houses, most of which are farms.

Boxtel railway station is located in Boxtel, Netherlands. The station was opened on 1 May 1865 and is located on the Breda–Eindhoven railway (between Tilburg and Eindhoven) and the Utrecht–Boxtel railway. The station is currently operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Boxtel is an interchange station for Stoptreinen (trains stopping at every station) in North Brabant. There are services meeting in 3 different directions. The station was majorly rebuilt from 1998, opening on 29 September 2000 as part of quadrupling of the Eindhoven to Boxtel line with a second island platform added.The station lies at the start of the former Boxtel–Wesel railway.

Stapelen Castle is a castle in Boxtel in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is known as monastery and headquarters of the Dutch Assumptionists. The Assumptionist fathers sold the castle on 1 September 2018 and have now transferred it to the Eindhoven property managers Xander van Mierlo. It is not yet clear what function the castle will have. After 104 years the fathers sold the castle Stapelen, which has been in use as a monastery all those years. At present there are still about fourteen Assumptionist fathers in the Netherlands. The Congregation of the Assumptionists is engaged in pastoral care, Catholic inspired journalism, education, corporate apostolate and missionary work in the Netherlands and abroad. The Dutch province of the congregation has been part of the congregation in Paris for a number of years. The Assumptionists still own the buildings at Prins Hendrikstraat 43 and 45, which the fathers would like to demolish for the construction of apartments. It has also been agreed that the cemetery, located in the castle park. will be in use for at least another 50 years to be able to bury the Fathers there permanently. With the permission of the Bossche bishop, the fathers removed the chapel of Saint George in the castle from honorary service.

Best is a railway station located in Best, Netherlands. The station is located on the Breda–Maastricht railway (State Line E) between Tilburg and Eindhoven. The station is operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen. The station is located in a tunnel and has four platforms.