Dorst

Dorst is a small town in the municipality Oosterhout, in the Dutch province Noord-Brabant. The town has 2.430 citizens (2004). Dorst is located near Rijen and the nearest cities are Breda, Oosterhout and Tilburg.ToponymyThe name Dorst is supposed to originate from Dornt, which would refer to meidoorn, that was used as plot separation.Another explanation is a contraction of the words "De Horst".HistoryDorst was first mentioned in 1290, then in 1323 and thereafter more regularly. Willem van Duivenvoorde was the lord of Kasteel Strijen in 1325 and thus also of Dorst.In 1511 the chapel of Dorst was first mentioned. The chapel was devoted to the Holy Trinity. In 1648 the chapel had to be closed and it feel into disrepair. In 1675 the Catholics could use a barn church instead. In 1689 there was a Saint Marcoufrelic donated, which made Dorst into a sanctuary. In 1835 there was built a church across from the chapel. The chapel was demolished after that. In 1912 the church was also demolished and the current Sint-Marculphuskerk was built.Dorst was poor: north of the town there was barren soil and south of the town there was a swampy area called 'het Goor'. To provide for the life maintenance the people devoted to goat breeding. Goats also produced milk, that milk was of great importance for the health of the people in the town.In 1888 the Seterse Heide was designated as a catchment area and in 1894 the waterworks was built. The railway alongside Dorst was opened in 1867, but Dorst did not get a station. However, from 1908 to 1930 there was a stopping place for the trains. North of the railway, at De Vliert 20, there was a brickyard. This was established at 1899 by Frans Oomen. The factory possessed a Hoffmann kiln and produced 5 to 6 million stones a year. For some time there also functioned a roof tilesfactory. The stone factory was demolished in 2010 after a time of vacancy.