Deurne was said to be the place where the Irish missionary Fredigand was abbot of Kerkelodor Abbey in the eighth century.

Like many dwellings it settled on the crossroads of a river (the Schijn) and a connection route (the 'Turnhoutse baan': the road from Antwerp to Turnhout).

Some country houses in Deurne were : Sterckshof, Papenhof, Lakbors, Bisschoppenhof, Gallifort, Inkborsch, Bosuil, Ertbrugge & Venneborg.

Further surviving evidence of this aristocratic history of Deurne is the St Fredegand Church and the adjacent cemetery (the St-Fredegandusbegraafpark).

The effect of this canal was to establish a permanent barrier north of Deurne (where the Kleine Schijn used to flow), separating it from Merksem.

Many large scale urban functions were 'dropped' in the undestined area previously occupied by the Brialmont-fortifications (like the event hall Sportpaleis Merksem).

A real demographic explosion happened because of this urban planning and the need for many Antwerp residents to find modern housing.