In the Middle ages there stood here on the Town square the 'Meynaert Steen' (stone house of the family Meynaert). The 'stone'was built on top of a mountain of sand and was also in use for defence.In 1441 the town expropriated it and reconstructed it together with several other houses into one lot.

After the bombardments of 1695 7 houses were brought behind one big wall with a common fronton. A few of these houses were guildhalls (the tanners had number 15, the millers had number 16, the wagonmakers and carpenters had number 17 (it is called 'Tinnen Pot'), the corporation of the 'Four crowns' (sculptors) number 18... Victor Hugo lived a month in number 16.

Yet in the 19th century there was a chips shop in one of the 2 houses. There is also a museum of the chocolate .

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