Dorpskernverschuiving, nederzettingstransformatie in Guigoven en Bommershoven

A remarkable evolution in space of the village Guigoven, situated in the Eastern part of Belgium (Haspengouw), has been observed by Dr. P. Diriken in a local monography of the settlement. Today, the core of the village has an significant different location than 200 years ago. In Bommershoven, also situated in Haspengouw, an equal transformation of a settlement can be observed.

By a profound research of historical cartographic material and historical textes the evolution of the settlement Guigoven and Bommershoven could be analysed. In the geological metaphore a means can be found to describe the evolution, transformation of local settlements. In combination with the component of space in the theory’s form Giddens (the locale) and Hägerstrand (stations) time-space landscapes were created. A theoretic model of the evolution of a rural settlement was formed, where changes in time were due to changes in the physical, local and regional factor. These 3 factors create the central point of the settlement, signifcant replacement from this central point leads to a shift of the settlement: villagecore displacement.