Steensel is also known as “Pieregat” and is described as one of the typical Kempen villages of the Acht Zaligheden. The history of the village includes protected Bronze and Iron Age sites, the medieval Toren van St. Lucia and a watermill with its original milling equipment. Archaeological traces, church history and technological history therefore stand alongside one another as distinct themes.

Toren van St. Lucia: History and Views

The Toren van St. Lucia is a medieval tower built at the end of the 14th century. It is the last surviving relic of Steensel’s old church. If you would like to climb the tower, you can do so by prior arrangement. From the top, you can enjoy views across the Kempen and of Eindhoven’s skyline.

The Luciaklok is also part of the church’s history: it dates from 1495 and is one of the oldest church bells in the Kempen. The tower and the bell thus offer two tangible points of reference for the village’s ecclesiastical past.

Archaeological Sites and Local History

De Heiblom is a protected archaeological site with Bronze Age burial mounds and an Iron Age urnfield. Bussereind/Gendersteijn is also protected; it contains an Early Bronze Age burial mound. The sites differ in their periods: De Heiblom represents both the Bronze and Iron Ages, while Bussereind/Gendersteijn is characterised by an Early Bronze Age burial mound.

Another aspect of local history is associated with the Bende van Steensel. The group consisted of five men and terrorised the villages around Steensel with violent nighttime break-ins in the early 19th century. Alongside archaeological and ecclesiastical evidence, the historical perspective therefore also extends to the more recent past of the villages around Steensel.

The Stevertse watermolen

The Stevertse watermolen is in the hamlet of Stevert, which belongs to Steensel in the municipality of Eersel. The waterwheel and milling equipment have been preserved. From the bridge, you can view the mill as a piece of engineering: it once ground grain using the power of the Run. The mill is mentioned in the Bossche Protokollen of 1349–1350.

Routes and Dates for Planning Your Trip

Two useful points of comparison when choosing a tour are the mode of transport and the stated route length. The 33-kilometre Monumentenroute includes the Toren van St. Lucia in Steensel. The tower is also on the “Gloeiige” cycling route between junctions 06 and 61. The 21-kilometre Pelgrimspad Middelbeers–Steensel walking route ends in Steensel. This gives you a longer cycling route that includes the tower and a walking route that finishes in the village.

The Steensel fair runs from the Saturday before the second Sunday in August until the following Tuesday. As its dates depend on the Sunday in August, check the specific event days for the relevant year if you are planning a trip to the fair. The 47th Kempensessie is announced as a festival in Steensel on Easter Sunday, 28 March 2027.

Discover more destinations: Vessem, Eersel.

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