Maison Clercx
THE ABANDONED FARM IN BELGIUM
‘Maison Clercx’ is an old farm with chestnut orchard. It was built in a forest in Neerpelt in the year 1969, by the family Clercx. In 1769, they built a Jenever distillery on their grounds.
There are many urban legends about the Clercx family. The family used to hunt the ‘Bokkenrijders’ or ‘Buckriders’. According to popular belief, the Buckriders were ghosts, who fly through the sky on the back of goats. During the 18th century, groups of thieves and other criminals used this belief to frighten farmers. These criminals raided peaceful convents, churches, and farms. Mr. Clerckx swore to wipe out all of these thieves, and he succeeded. Stories go that he locked up criminals and starved them. Those who were not brought to the basement were hung. I visited ‘Maison Clercx’ in 2013.
