Bram explaining the construction of the klaarbank at the Herenhul during the 'Gelredag'.
Photo Omroep Gelderland (twitter Ridders van Gelre).
Remember the medieval 'klaarbank' or judicial court at the Herenhul or Engelanderholt on which we did a project for the 'Geldersch Landschap and Kastelen' or GLK (see some previous posts)? Well we were contacted again by the GLK for this historical place. The local radio and TV channel (Omroep Gelderland) has a ongoing series called 'Ridders van Gelre' ('Knights of Gelre') on the history of our province. This time they made a TV show that featured the medieval judicial court at the Engelanderholt. This TV show is always followed by a live radio event the next Saturday at the premises, where several lectures are given and the site can be visited. We were the most likely candidates to visualize the klaarbank ...
The announcement on the website of Omroep Gelderland for the Gelredag at
'the most important site of Gelderland during the Middle Ages.
Setting up a 'klaarbank' early in the morning for only a few hours and then dismantling it again is a daunting challenge - in medieval times it took at least 2 weeks to construct it. So what we did instead was making a live-size rope model of the court, which gives a good impression of size and height of the klaarbank. Omroep Gelderland (ridder Rene) was present when we set up the rope model, as well as when the first group of visitors arrived. The GLK provided some staff that helped with the construction, as well as some fresh cut saplings that could be used as stakes. A motor saw was used to cut the saplings at length, while a motor drill was used to dig the holes for the stakes. The layout of the klaarbank, however, was done using medieval tools: a rope with 13 knots (to make a 3-4-5 triangle with a 90 degree edge), a rule and a level. The klaarbank model was ready before the visitors came; we even had some time for coffee.
The live-size rope model of the judicial court. The ropes are at the height of the seating or the platform. The rope ladders show where the stairs are. The stakes at the corners are 4 m high, the height of the walls of the klaarbank.
Clockwise: The side of the klaarbank with the stairs to the platform of the councillors and the Ducal seat. The registrar and the scribe are ready behind the table (with the medieval tools). Katinka with two staff of the GLK next behind the line where the accused stood. Showing the complete size of the klaarbank.
Interestingly, one of the visitors was a local who remembered that the stone at the Herenhul used stand on a different site some hundred meters away, and was moved to its current place when the nearby motorway A1 was constructed. It appeared that this place was not so historically accurate after all...
Visitors at the Herenhul during the Gelredag. Photo Omroep Gelderland (Twitter Ridders van Gelre).
Photo Omroep Gelderland (Twitter Ridders van Gelre).
