Editing Asse (section)

=== Ancien Régime ===
The St Martins church gained some local fame as a centre of pilgrimage connected to the miraculous blossoming of a tree in which a Host had been hidden and the equally miraculous appearance of a cross – the Miracles of the Holy Cross. During this period much of the power was inherited by the descendants of [[John II of Cottereau, Baron of Jauche|John II of Cottereau, Lord of Assche]], he placed some important coloured windows<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://balat.kikirpa.be/object/1584|title=Calvarie|website=BALaT KIK-IRPA}}</ref> in the church and was buried there. His descendants today still are family of the current [[Marquess of Assche]].

In continuation of its role as seat of an important judicial court under the [[Ancien Régime]], Asse was made capital of a canton during the [[French Revolutionary]] and Napoleonic Period.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

Lacking any mineral resources, and being far from any navigable watercourses and being in close proximity to other larger centres such as [[Aalst, Belgium|Aalst]], [[Dendermonde]] and [[Brussels]], Asse never developed into an important commercial, political or industrial centre but remained a locally important market town. There was some [[Beer brewing|brewing]] and marketing of the local [[Hops|hop]] production.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

It is now a [[commuting]] town for [[Brussels]] with a number of [[light industrial]] and commercial activities.