Overview
Havezathe ’t Walfort stands on the Boven-Slinge in the middle of the Walfort estate between Aalten and Bredevoort. Twelve hunting boundary posts mark the boundaries of the estate. Havezathe ’t Walfort has been altered many times, but the core of the house still contains several thick walls with firing slits. The present house dates from the sixteenth century, with a later extension.
In the fifteenth century, ’t Walfort was the site of a Vehmic court. One of its presiding free judges is still known by name: Berend de Dücker, mayor of Bocholt. The Vehmic court at ’t Walfort disappeared at the end of the sixteenth century. It is the only place in the Netherlands where the presence of such a court has been proven.
The house, originally called Waldenvoort, was a fief associated with Bredevoort Castle. Its earliest known mention dates from 1402, when Derk van Lintelo held the manor in fief. He was the only one of Bredevoort’s castle retainers permitted to live outside the town. The estate remained a Van Lintelo fief until 1609, when it passed through a daughter to the Van Coeverden family. In the mid-eighteenth century it passed by marriage to the Van Pallandt family. In 1795 the fief was seized by the Gelderland provincial diet. The municipality of Aalten acquired the house in 1958, and since 2003 it has been managed by Het Geldersch Landschap.
Little remains today of the original house. The building is still T-shaped, but an entire upper storey has disappeared. That floor was still present in 1743, as shown in a drawing by Jan de Beijer depicting the then-moated house already in a severely dilapidated condition.
It is a national monument.
Archives
Land-tax register 1647
D’Havesaet ter Walfaert, Jor. van Coeverden.
Boulant 18 mdr. 49 – 19 – 8.
1 Koolhof, en 6 mdr. gesaeis 13 – 10 -.
3 Koeweidens, en hoeijgront een coppele van 3 voeder hoeijs, noch
eenige weidekens bij t’huis van 2 voeder hoeijs. 17 – 10 -.
Tenancy book ‘Den Huijse Walvaert’ 1735–1815
Liberale Gifte 1748
The following entry reads: “op den Huijse Walvaart onder Dalen … Evert Heuvel, jaeger op het Walvaart, getr. met Jenneken Plasmans”.
Residents
Earliest known residents:
Jan Jansen (Olst, 03-02-1760 – Dale, 19-04-1807)
married on 31-10-1802 in Keppel to
Hendrika Rots (Aalten, 11-05-1779 – Barlo, 15-06-1834)
Next residents, widow and second husband:
Hendrik Jan Walvoort (Dale, 27-05-1779 – Dale, 14-05-1811)
married on 25-10-1807 in Aalten to
Hendrika Rots (Aalten, 11-05-1779 – Barlo, 15-06-1834)
Next residents, widow and third husband:
Jan Willem Walvoort (Haart, 13-01-1788 – Heurne, 11-04-1866)
married (1) on 11-07-1812 in Aalten to
Hendrika Rots (Aalten, 11-05-1779 – Barlo, 15-06-1834)
Jan Willem was a cousin of Hendrika’s first husband, Hendrik Jan. Jan Willem and Hendrika moved first to the village of Aalten and later to Meijnen in Barlo.
Next residents:
Population register 1823-1850
“Walvoort”
Wander Heijink (Aalten, 25-12-1797 – Dale, 26-09-1866), farmer
married on 17-06-1820 in Aalten to
Berendina Gosens (Aalten, 10-04-1798 – Dale, 29-10-1874)
Population register 1850-1860
Wander Heijink (Aalten, 25-12-1797 – Dale, 26-09-1866), farmer
Berendina Goossens (Aalten, 10-04-1798 – Dale, 29-10-1874)
Population register 1860-1870
Wander Heijink (Aalten, 25-12-1797 – Dale, 26-09-1866), farmer
Berendina Goossens (Aalten, 10-04-1798 – Dale, 29-10-1874)
Next residents, son and daughter-in-law:
Population register 1870-1880
Jan Willem Heijink (Aalten, 30-08-1827), farmer
Theodora Antonetta Walvoort (Aalten, 30-05-1839)
Next residents:
Population register 1880-1890
Bernadus Prinsen (Lintelo, 07-04-1819), farmer
Hendrika Willemina Bouwmeester (Aalten, 30-08-1816)
Population register 1890-1900
Bernadus Prinsen (Lintelo, 07-04-1819), farmer
Next principal residents, son and daughter-in-law:
Antonij Prinsen (Aalten, 15-01-1849), farmer
Willemina Vaags (Aalten, 31-10-1849)
Next principal residents, daughter and son-in-law:
Willem te Bokkel (Haart, 04-03-1861), farmer
Hendrika Willemina Prinsen (Aalten, 21-02-1873)
Population register 1900-1910
Willem te Bokkel (Haart, 04-03-1861), farmer
Hendrika Willemina Prinsen (Aalten, 21-02-1873)
Population register 1910-1920
Willem te Bokkel (Haart, 04-03-1861), farmer
Hendrika Willemina Prinsen (Aalten, 21-02-1873)
Next residents, son and daughter-in-law:
Jan Hendrik Antonij te Bokkel (Dale, 23-11-1894)
Aleida Somsen (Dale, 23-04-1891)
Address directory 1934
Dale 177 > 153
Address directory 1967
“’t Walfort”
Dale 153 > Walfortlaan 1
Cadastre
This overview is not complete.
| Year | Parcel | Owner | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | C-1324 | Jan baron van Pallandt, Arnhem | 2.850 m² huis, schuur en erf |
| 1882 | C-3250 | Adolphina Charlotte Wilhelmina van Pallandt, Arnhem | 450 m² huis en erf |
| 1929 | C-4481 | Jacob Adolf baron van Pallandt, Arnhem | 71.350 m² huis, schuur, erf, bouw- en grasland |
| 1959 | C-4481 | Gemeente Aalten | 71.350 m² huis, schuur, erf, bouw- en grasland |
Historical names and descriptions remain in their original Dutch.