DutchNews.nl - Locals faced with medieval tax to pay for castle renovations

The owners of a medieval castle east of Utrecht are pressing ahead with plans to make dozens of locals pay towards the upkeep of the property – using a local tax dating back at least five centuries.

Several people living in the village of Kamerik have been sent final demands for the payment, known as the ‘dertiende penning’ or ‘13th penny’, local farmers union official Joop Verheul told the Telegraaf. Verheul says 30 people in the village have been given bills totalling over €1m.

One man, 67-year-old Nico Weesjes, told the AD he had been asked to ‘cough up’ €18,500 but has no plans to pay the tax. A foundation has already sprung up to fight the levy.

The letters have been sent by the trust which runs Kamerik’s castle Renwoude, owned by a Dutch noble family. The trust plans to use the money to renovate the castle, parts of which date back to the 13th century.

The tax dates back to the time when the area around Utrecht was uncultivated. People who wanted to buy land had to have permission from their feudal overseer and pay him a percentage of the purchase price.

That right still exists today in several places near Utrecht although it will be abolished in 2015 after a long campaign by protestors.

‘We need money to renovate the castle. People who have to pay know all about it,’ the trust’s treasurer A. Met told the AD last week. ‘If you buy land or a house, the notary tells you about it.’

Joke Birnage of the anti-tax group says the trust is operating outside the bounds of decency. ‘Every buyer is told the charge has not been levied for years, which is wrong-footing people,’ she said.

The organisation is also angry about the 'arrogance' of the castle trust. 'They are impossible to get hold of, they refuse to talk and then send bills which no-one can meet,' Verheul told the Telegraaf. 'It is hard to believe this is 2012.'

Readers' Comments

Within the law or not, you just don't make everyone think that it doesn't exist anymore, and then suddenly try and collect every single missed payment at once. They could start over with the basic amount, but the way it's handled now is nothing less than deceiving people.

By Someone | 14 August 2012 5:41 PM

Oops, made 1 mistake there. There's no "basic amount", as it's a single-time tax.

Regardless, my point stands. Either the tax should've been required when the property got bought, or it shouldn't be required at all. Once again: the way it's handled now is just deceiving people.

By Someone | 14 August 2012 5:45 PM

Pitchforks and torches comes to mind.

By jason buttle | 14 August 2012 6:24 PM

Exactly the same is happening in the UK, but it is the church who is sending out bills to those who live close to churches, to pay for repairs to those churches. Their was a case recently, a family was forced to sell their farm because the church sent them a bill for £100,000, for renovations to the church.

By Karl H | 14 August 2012 8:19 PM

I agree that the tax should indeed be paid. People knew in advance that this was possible. If people have voted for a Government WHICH CLOSED THE DOOR on rehabilitation of heritage items, another source should be used. Or have people no time any more for their heriatge any more? The interview was with the Telegraaf? Well that figures, it is the "krant voor kankeraars door kankeraars".
PBR Canberra Australia.
PS Should any body be interested I am waging a campaign to have (13th c) Nijenbeek castle restored. Now I understabd why that is so hard... the Ducth do not care anymore about their history and their heritage. Yhey have always been touchy about their back pocket nerve.
Cheers PR

By PeterReynders | 15 August 2012 5:52 AM

In the UK we lived in a house which was in an area covered by a "chancel tax" to maintain the nearby church. We bought insurance to cover this. I always thought the insurance was a waste of money, but seeing this makes me realize it wasn't such a bad idea after all!

By Darren | 15 August 2012 8:27 AM

A medieval tax? How.....medieval! Unless every villager gets to reap the proftis that castle tourism brings why should they have to pay for it. Let the "Noble"family pay!

By M | 15 August 2012 9:10 AM

Hysterical!!

By p whetton | 15 August 2012 9:55 AM

Medieval tax? No problem, solve this the medieval way, the populace revolt, assault the castle, raze it to the ground and apply the knife to those opposing them.

By PK | 15 August 2012 1:11 PM