Erasmus House and Little Beguinage

This is Erasmus House - Erasmus was a famous thinker who spent 5 months living here, so now it is a museum dedicated to his history.  He was a part of the Renaissance and the Reformation and kept well known company - popes, Martin Luther, kings and so on - while he was here.  On the day of our visit, a college group was filming a short story about Erasmus, so imagine our surprise to come around the corner from looking at photos of him so see him standing in the room reading!

We also went to the Little Beguinage on this day trip - it was a home for women who were alone, set up by weathly families so the women could pray for them in the church.  The women were not nuns, but did take similar vows, although they did not have to give up all their possessions.  The first rooms are for the leader of the group, the later ones for the regular members.  Very interesting!

The above scene made me think of my Auntie Joyce - the grandfather clock and old windows!

I really liked this stove - how the smoke was channeled through the flat surface so it could be used to heat and cook on it's way out of the house!

I wondered about the handle on the side of this bed - it really looks like it would be in the way of getting in and out!  If you pull it up, the chamber pot is inside!

Another great day tour!