Venhorst: Village history and the Peel landscape

You can get to know Venhorst through its origins as a planned reclamation village and the history of its village centre. Peellandschapspark Voskuilenheuvel adds a perspective on the former Peel and its landscape. If you are looking for a hotel in Venhorst, these themes can help shape your travel plans: would you like to explore the village’s history, go for a walk or take in the cultural landscape?

A village centre with a planned layout

Venhorst was founded in 1932 as a reclamation village in the Peel, designed at a drawing board. The plan is still visible in the square’s straight layout and the long, straight streets. In 1936, the village was renamed Venhorst. The original buildings and the cohesive character of the village centre are still clearly perceptible. The village centre is highly unusual at both regional and national level. Together, these features give it a clearly recognisable historical character.

Historic buildings and landmarks at Sint Josephplein

The erratic boulder at Sint Josephplein is designated a municipal monument. The stone, made of Norwegian granite, stands on a stone plinth and symbolises the pioneers’ work in reclaiming Venhorst. This single monument therefore reveals both the choice of material and a local interpretation of the village’s history.

Also at Sint Josephplein stands St. Corneliusschool. It was built in 1932 and opened on 16 January 1933. The dates of its construction and opening fall within the village’s early history. At Sint Josephkerk, by contrast, the architectural form can be described in greater detail: it has a single nave, a T-shaped floor plan and a substantial square tower structure. The church is considered an important element of Venhorst’s origins and village history, as well as an important part of Catholic life there.

The Peel landscape at Voskuilenheuvel

Peellandschapspark Voskuilenheuvel includes Corsican pines, small pools and a fishing pond created on the site of former gravel and sand extraction. Its newest area is called D’n Horst. Small pools and low hills are intended to show what the former Peel might have looked like. This is explicitly an approximation: the design aims to give an impression, not claim to be an exact reconstruction.

The park also preserves a small remnant of the former Peel, which remained undeveloped until around 150 years ago. This area was never brought into agricultural use. The landscape connection therefore encompasses both a preserved remnant and the possible appearance of the former Peel, which D’n Horst is intended to illustrate.

On foot or by bike

The walk “WANDELING door het VENHORST van NU én TOEN” starts at the De Horst community centre, Sint Josephplein 14, in Venhorst. It is 1.7 kilometres long and takes about an hour. The stated distance and duration give you two concrete points of reference for planning the walk. Check the route details again before setting out.

For cyclists, two routes offer different focuses. The Monumentenroute Boekel & Venhorst passes through Venhorst, which was founded in 1932 as a planned village in the Peel. Its straight square layout and long, straight streets still reveal the original plan. The Ontginningsroute Boekel & Venhorst passes through the reclaimed cultural landscape around Venhorst. The planned “new land” is evident there in straight streets and paths, as well as drainage ditches. When choosing routes for your trip, you can therefore distinguish between a look at the village’s founding and a ride through the cultural landscape. Also check the route signs before setting off.

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