District Court Building

Where the Eclectic-style courthouse now stands, there used to be a bleaching ground. A bleaching ground traditionally refers to a patch of open grassland with a pond used to bleach linen by spreading it out in the sun. This process used sunlight and moisture to remove stains and whiten the fabric. To prevent dogs or cats from soiling the clean, white laundry, such a bleaching ground was surrounded by a dense hedge.

The District Court was located on the top floor of the old town hall until 1908, the year this new building was completed. North Brabant was divided into 19 cantons, one of which was Oirschot. Later, this number increased to 14 cantons.

After that, it moved to this brand-new building for just twenty years. Note the wooden blinds hanging on the outside of the windows: a nostalgic example of sun protection. The Metzelaar family, father and son, designed the building in their characteristic style, as we also recognize their influence in the cantonal courthouses of Nijmegen and Helmond. Only one cantonal judge, Mr. Jan van IJselsteijn, has ever used the cantonal court. In 1933, the canton of Oirschot was dissolved, and the courthouse lost its status.

After housing the regional archives for a long time, in 2003 the building was connected via a modern hall to the town hall, which was built in the early 1980s in the style of the "Bossche School" (The School from 's-Hertogenbosch)).

The building now stylishly houses the Mayor and Aldermen and the Municipal Secretary and their staff.