Dinther
| Dinther | ||
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| Coordinates: 51°38′42″N 5°29′11″E / 51.64500°N 5.48639°E | ||
| Country | Netherlands | |
| Province | North Brabant | |
| Municipality | Bernheze | |
| Population (1 January 2009) | 4,818 | |
| Major roads | A50, N279, N606 | |
Dinther is a former town in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Bernheze.
Dinther was a separate municipality and town until 1969, when it merged with Heeswijk to form the new municipality of Heeswijk-Dinther. Since the municipal merger, the two towns started to share a marketplace and center. Today the towns form the greater town of Heeswijk-Dinther.
In 1139 Dinther was named first as Dinthre . The name has an Old Frankish origin and is a composition of the words "Dint" and "haar". "Dint" (or "dent") means "dent" or "dented" usually it implies a landscape with rolling heights. "Haar" is an old Dutch word for a long stretchted sand dune. Indeed there lies a long stretchted sand dune between the city of Berlicum and Veghel to the north of Dinther. It seems correct to translate Dinther as: "dented long stretchted sand dune" (source: "Grepen uit de geschiedenis van Dinther 1139–1989", J. van der Leest). The current landscape though is green and does not show any signs of dunes or sand.
In the early Middle Ages the first acres were cultivated out of fertile woodlands along the river "Aa". In the early Middle Ages Dinther was part of a free territory governed by the Lords of Dinther; as were the nearby towns of Heeswijk and Boxtel.
In 1196 half of this territory was granted in use by Knight Albert van Dinther to the Lord of Cuijk. The Lord of Cuijk granted the use to the Duke of Brabant. The Lords of Dinther probably resided in a stronghold on an artificial hill called "Ter Borch". This stronghold was most likely situated near the river Aa, to the south of Dinther.
In 1388 the other half of this territory was granted in use by "Willem van der Aa" to "Duchess Johanna van Brabant", which turned it into a part of the Duchy of Brabant. Dinther was part of the Meierij of 's-Hertogenbosch one of the four administrative parts of the Duchy of Brabant. In 1352 Dinther became an acknowledged town when "Jan van Benthem", Lord of Dinther, granted the inhabitants of the parish the use of the land. In the 14th century the residence of the Lords of Dinther moved from "Ter Borch" to the estate of "Ten Bogaerde". This was situated near the castle Avestein. Avestein was torn down in 1807.
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