Sheepfold Klein Ravenhorst Renswoude

For more information about the sheepfold, see opdeheuvelrug.nl/verken-de-heuvelrug/wandelen/vernieuwesroute-renswoude/schaapskooi-renswoude?utm_source=qrcode&utm_medium=route&utm_campaign=vernieuwesroute+renswoude&utm_content=paal

In 1815 the village had one country estate, 145 houses, two churches and 854 residents. There were four large farms, 34 small farms and 25 'keuters' or workers' houses. The territory consisted of more than 400 hectares of arable land, almost 20 hectares of pasture. A third of the arable land was used for rye, two-thirds for buckwheat, mainly as animal feed.

There were also 130 hectares of forest and approximately 850 hectares of wild fields, largely made up of heathland. The number of sheep must have been considerable. Sheep were mainly kept for manure, the stable manure was brought to the fields every year. The invention of artificial fertilizer reduced the need for sheep manure and made it possible to convert the heathland into agricultural land.