Presbytery of the Norbertines – Oevel-Westerlo
Sint-Michielsstraat 2, 2260 Oevel – Westerlo
1941
The year anchors on the first floor of the façade indicate ‘1757’ as the construction year of this originally moated and, until 1964, walled Norbertine presbytery. The building leaned against the old presbytery that was built in 1614 and demolished in 1936. The annexe is probably a remnant of that old presbytery.
In 1869 a northern extension was added according to a design by P.J. Taeymans, then restored and modified in 1941 according to a design by J. Schellekens.
Initially, the height of the building was limited to one floor but in 1912 the building was raised with re-use of the roof structure. This was done according to a 1910 design by P.J. Taeymans.
The building came into the possession of the municipality of Oevel in 1803. From 1964 it served as a town hall, until Oevel merged with Westerlo in 1977.
Since 1979, it has housed a local history museum which has been called the ‘Historical Regional Museum of the Southern Campine’ since 2001.
