Leusden

Geschiedenis

Leusden is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It is located about 3 kilometres southeast of Amersfoort.The western part of the municipality lies on the slopes of the Utrecht Hill Ridge and is largely covered by forest and heathlands. The eastern parts lie in the Gelderse Vallei and are mostly agricultural.Population centresThe municipality of Leusden contains four villages: Leusden, originally named "Hamersveld" and later "Leusden-Centrum"; Leusden-Zuid, formerly "Leusbroek" Achterveld Stoutenburg There are also a number of hamlets in the municipality: Asschat, Den Treek, De Ruif, Jannendorp, Musschendorp, Oud-Leusden (formerly named "Leusden"), and Snorrenhoef.The town of LeusdenThe place that is now called Leusden was first mentioned as Villa Lisiduna in a charter in 777. The exact location of that settlement, which is considered to have been a rather extensive farm complex with defenses, is unknown to us. It is possible that the old village of Oud-Leusden once was the location of Villa Lisiduna but excavations in the 1980s have not provided any evidence. However, the church tower of Oud-Leusden is one of the oldest towers in the Netherlands, dating back at least to the 11th century A.D. Close to Leusden is the site of the former monastery Heiligenberg, founded around the year 1000 by bishop Ansfridus of Utrecht, who died here in 1010.