Description: right shield: three birds on a branch, placed 2 and 1; left oval shield: a crossbar and an eagle with wings covering everything; crowned by a lattice helmet with wings; crest: a tree.
This heraldic stone can be found in a monumental building, which in various publications is erroneously called the Meerssen refugium. It used to be called the 'Poort van Beusdael' and was already in the 16th century the property of the Colyn van Beusdael family, who owned thus a refuge in the city. The house - heavily mortgaged - was sold in 1686 to Michiel Peerboom, brewer, merchant and above all money lender. He was married to Cornelia Vliexs.
On his death Peerboom turned out to be a very wealthy man. In 1690 he could therefore easily afford having the old (marl or half-timbered?) facade replaced by a new one made of bluestone and, as a nouveau riche, having his family trademark affixed to it.
For about 150 years the imposing house had been inhabited by people of distinction, until in 1834 Messrs. Cartissiers turned it into a "factory of coloured glass".
Finally, for many years it served as a rented barracks, was declared uninhabitable and was purchased by the municipality in 1939. After the war it was restored in 1947 and has since been used for various purposes (planning office, child protection, European Centre for Work and Society). It is now privately owned again.
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