The house of Juffrouw Al bestel (miss Al bestel)
Eighteenth century business house; original bricks laid shop front of sharpened stone; nice death door (special door where they brought out someone who died) within the light above the symbol of trade and shipping.
This merchant house, built in the early part of the eighteenth century, has been altered many times. In the beginning of the nineteenth century a lady, nick-named 'Mrs. Busy-body' lived here. She had so many whims and was so meddlesome that people made a lampoon of her, consisting of 130 staves. When the house was being restored, for example, five wooden partitions were found between a cupboard bed and the passage. The house was converted into two separate apartments. Cupboards, cupboard beds, passages and staircases were interchanged. Four cellars were found under the house. In the early part of this century much of the house was again converted, but among the things to be preserved were a carved Louis-XVI door with the emblem of Mercury over it, a well-made doorstep, linen hangings with wall paintings and the front which dates from 1770.