Merbes-the-Castle

Merbes-the-Castle (in Walloon Miebe ) is a common French-speaking of Belgium located in Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut.

Certain parts of the church is dedicated to Saint Martin's day go back to 1561.

Etymology

The origin of the word Merbes comes from maribaki , (Meerbeek in the same beginning), which means the “brook of the marsh”.

Armorial bearings

Since 1889, Merbes-the-Castle uses money armorial bearings inspired of the old seals which represented a strong castle.

History

A frank cemetery was discovered on the territory. Formerly there was in the commune a fortress, now disappeared, and it is from there that the denomination comes from Merbes-the-Castle.

The village formerly bore the name of Merbes-Potteries at the 18th century, because of many craftsmen potters who exerted an important craft industry there.

There were several seigniories on the territory. Largest belonged to princes de Barbençon, of which one of the lords was buried in the church of Merbes. The other seigniories were those of Bourdaine, of Rochelaire and that of Saint-Martain of Turned who goes back to the 12th century.

Merbes was the theater, twice, of combat violent one. At the end of the 13th century, the army of the Ardennes, under the orders of Kléber, beat the Austrians and more recently, on August 24th, 1914, a score of houses were destroyed.

Economy

Merbes-the-castle profited from three sources of revenue, the exploitation of the ore of Fer, agriculture and the breeding.

Almost a quarter of the active population found an employment in the French industrial basin near in second half of the 20th century.

Demography

At the end of the Years 1970, almost 4.000 inhabitants lived in Merbes; at present, there is little demographic progression.

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