Norbertine walk Klein-Vorst

In 2021, it marked 900 years since Norbert of Gennep founded his Order. Through the abbeys of Averbode and Tongerlo, so-called “Withers” or Norbertines came to serve as parish priests in our parishes. The parish priest was the pillar and mainstay of the entire community: he was “the boss of the village.”

To shed light on the work of the Norbertines here, the Laakdal Working Group for History and Local Studies (LWGH) mapped out a historical walking tour in which we highlight the religious heritage of the Sint-Niklaas parish.

Vorst was an independent municipality until 1977. Curiously, along with Meerhout, it belonged to the Land of Zichem, initially under the lords of Diest. Vorst belonged to the Leuven quarter, while the rest of Laakdal belonged to the Antwerp quarter within the Duchy of Brabant. We are old Brabanters here.

The term “Klein-Vorst” (Little Vorst) is a relatively recent one, dating only from around 1840. It was undoubtedly intended as a mocking term. Before that, these were the four districts of Meerlaer-Verboekt and Locht-Heide.

For years, there has been a great deal of confusion here for outsiders. People know Groot-Vorst and Klein-Vorst, arrive here by car, and then see “Vorst-Meerlaar” written there. “Oh no, that’s not Klein-Vorst.” Then they drive on and arrive in Vorst-Centrum. “Oh no; that’s not it either.” So where is Klein-Vorst?

📏 6 km
📍 Pastorij Klein-Vorst, Meerlaarstraat 120, 2430 Vorst (Laakdal)
🏁 Pastorij Klein-Vorst, Meerlaarstraat 120, 2430 Vorst (Laakdal)