WaldKulTour Südwestfalen - border towns

Towns in the middle of the Arnsberg Forest often bear witness to border rivalries from times long past. They were founded to underpin territorial claims and form an initial Bollwerk in the event of conflicts. These towns were often founded far away from existing settlements and had to learn to live with and from nature. The small town of Eversberg with its many half-timbered houses is also located in the middle of the forest. It was granted town privileges by Count Gottfried III in the Middle Ages and its fortifications secured the border of the Grafschaft Arnsberg against the Archbishopric of Cologne. In addition to its strategic importance on the highest elevation in the Ruhrtal, the founding of Eversberg also had purely economic interests and was intended to promote the use of the forest. Due to the isolated location, the inhabitants had to use the forest and its hidden resources from the very beginning, which led to the development of a variety of economic sectors. Even today, numerous field names bear witness to the lively activity of the various trades in and around Eversberg. References to charcoal burning, ash distilling, ore mining, flax and hop cultivation as well as the use of the forest floor as fertilizer for the fields and as bedding for the stables can be found in the often centuries-old field names. However, as early as 1368, Gottfried, the last Arnsberg count, sold the Grafschaft Arnsberg to the Archbishop of Cologne due to a lack of descendants. The castle was no longer close to the border and fell into disrepair. Count Gottfried IV was the only secular prince to be buried in Cologne Cathedral.