Bavoort

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Oude Tol De Treek.jpg

Little is known about the 25-30 toll tokens, found in July 2007 by a group of Dutch metal detectorists. Bavoort, once a minor village, is now part of Leusden. It is likely that one toll house was the present restaurant "De Mof" on Leusbroekerweg, formerly the site of a windmill called Bavoort, while the other was probably at the Huize Bavoort inn at Treekerweg 1, now a private house called Bavoortse Tol or d'Oude Tol. (Photo: Google Maps). This house is likely to have replaced the inn, as, according to Utrecht city archives, the inn was a toll house from 1827 to 1883, while the house was built in 1883. The new toll house may well have been at Vieweg 2, on Heiligenbergerbeek.

Bavoort means ford in the stream. Straatweg is the approximate equivalent of carriageway. Tol betaald is toll paid. The bridge between De Treek and Bavoort has disappeared. The toll road was part of a road from Amersfoort towards Arnhem, via Woudenberg, Maarsbergen, Leersum, Renswoude and Ede. This road no longer exists. Its path is loosely followed by the present N226 and N224.

Dating is also problematic. While 1827 is a plausible earliest date, municipal archives from Ede mention "plans to lift the tolls located on Arnhemsestraatweg via Ede and Renswoude to the Bavoortse brug" in the period 1899-1902. An eye witness says the toll existed until 1940 or 1941, but that seems quite unlikely.

Straatweg naar Bavoort

Obverse: Top around: STRAATWEG. Centre: NAAR. Bottom around: •Bavoort•.

Reverse: Top around: TOL. Centre: •*•. Bottom around: •Betaald•.

Bavoort
NL-SB-1.jpg
Source Kooij
Filename NL-SB-1.jpg
Value
Add Desc. Round
Size (mm) 32
Weight (g) 22.5
Material lead alloy
Notes Kooij VV006 1. Photo: www.loodjes.nl