In medieval times there were two Lordships (heerlijkheid) in the area. The Lordship of Empel and the Lordship of Meerwijk, but as they were always in one hand, they became known as Lordship of Empel en Meerwijk. The center was in the village now called Oud-Empel. Empel en Meerwijk Castle, the seat of the Lord of Empel en Meerwijk, was in an area called 'Het Slot', Dutch for 'The Castle'. When Empel village was moved later on, it came to lie inside the new Empel village.