Altastenberg

The village, originally called Lichtenscheid according to early descriptions of land ownership, was established around 1540 by Johann von Hanxleden, when he settled charcoal burners and herdsmen there.

Around 1600 the village fell within the jurisdiction of the court at Oberkirchen, whose presiding judge was Kaspar von Fürstenberg at that time.

In 1729 it is noted in the parish records of Winterberg St James that every farmer had to provide a sled load of wood to the vicar annually.

The manufacture and sale of wooden articles for itinerant tradesmen and work in the slate mines in the neighbouring village of Nordenau offered modest secondary income for the poor farmers.

Parish council chairman since 2007: Jörg Burmann (SPD), Local history curator: Hermann Pfennig (CDU)