▁b end ▁in ▁the ▁A a ▁River ▁that ▁has ▁since ▁been ▁sw allowed ▁by ▁the ▁river . ▁A ▁local ▁legend ▁says ▁that ▁on ▁Christmas ▁night ▁one ▁can ▁hear ▁church ▁b ells ▁ring ▁there . ▁Similar ▁stories ▁have ▁been ▁reported ▁near ▁other ▁fun er ary ▁fields . ▁ ▁Tra ces ▁of ▁Roman ▁pot tery ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁found ▁around ▁Er p . ▁The ▁Roman ▁items ▁are ▁of ▁a ▁later ▁period ▁than ▁the ▁Gall ic ▁and ▁are ▁recogn izable ▁by ▁their ▁thick ness ▁and ▁cur led ▁edges . ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁around ▁Er p ▁was ▁inhab ited ▁by ▁the ▁Men ap ii ▁tribe , ▁who ▁ro amed ▁the ▁area ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ine ▁River , ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Ar den nes ; ▁and ▁the ▁Mor ini ▁tribe , ▁north ▁and ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁E bur ones ▁tribe , ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Me use ▁River , ▁and ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Sea . ▁ ▁The ▁earliest ▁specific ▁reference ▁to ▁Er p ▁is ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁century , ▁where ▁it ▁is ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁property ▁of ▁a ▁noble ▁family . ▁Ear lier ▁records , ▁d ating ▁from ▁ 1 1 3 4 , ▁mention ▁Er the pe , ▁which ▁is ▁assumed ▁to ▁be ▁Er p . ▁The ▁parish ' s ▁first ▁priest ▁is ▁mentioned ▁in ▁ 1 3 6 0 , ▁when ▁Er p ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Duch y ▁of ▁B rab ant . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 7 9 , ▁seven ▁Northern ▁Dutch ▁provinces ▁declared ▁their ▁independence , ▁while