Burgh is a village in the

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

province of

Zeeland , nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge") , anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem") , image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg , map_alt = , m ...

. It is connected to

Haamstede Haamstede is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland. The village is known for Haamstede Castle. History The village was first mentioned in 1229 as Haemstede, and means "place with a ho ...

, and therefore generally considered to be part of the village Burgh-Haamstede.

Geography

Burgh is a part of the municipality of

Schouwen-Duiveland Schouwen-Duiveland () is a municipality and an island in the southwestern Netherlands province of Zeeland. The municipality has 33,737 inhabitants (1 January 2016) and covers an area of (of which is water). The northside of the island has two fi ...

, and lies about 23 km north of

Middelburg Middelburg may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Europe * Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland ...

. The statistical area "Burgh", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 1200.Statistics Netherlands (CBS), ''Statline: Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2003-2005'

As of 1 January 2005. Tourism is very important in Burgh, as it is in nearby Haamstede. Agriculture and fishery are also of some importance.

History

Burgh was founded as an earthen fortification constructed near the end of the ninth century. It can be called a

burh A burh () or burg was an Old English fortification or fortified settlement. In the 9th century, raids and invasions by Vikings prompted Alfred the Great to develop a network of burhs and roads to use against such attackers. Some were new constr ...

, a

circular rampart A circular rampart (German: ''Ringwall'') is an embankment built in the shape of a circle that was used as part of the defences for a military fortification, hill fort or refuge, or was built for religious purposes or as a place of gathering. The ...

or a

Viking ring fortress A Viking ring fortress, or Trelleborg-type fortress, is a type of circular fort of a special design, built in Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Collectively, they may also be known as trelleborgs. These fortresses have a strictly circular shape, ...

. Fact is that it closely resembles a Viking ring fortress. The diameter of the restored fortress is 185 m. Between 2001 and 2007 the fortification of Burgh was partially restored. Burgh used to be a separate municipality. In 1816 it came to include the smaller village

Westenschouwen Westenschouwen is a hamlet in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, and lies about 21 km north of Middelburg Middelburg may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Europe * Middelburg, Zeeland, t ...

. In 1961 Burgh was merged with Haamstede,

Noordwelle Noordwelle is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, and lies about 5 km southwest of Scharendijke. The village was first mentioned in 1109 as Willa, and means well. Noord (north) h ...

Renesse Renesse ( zea, Renisse) is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, and lies about 28 km west of Hellevoetsluis. Renesse is a popular tourist resort with zero-fare bus services in th ...

and Serooskerke to form the municipality

Westerschouwen Westerschouwen is a former municipality in the Dutch province of Zeeland. The municipality was formed in a merger of the municipalities Burgh, Haamstede, Noordwelle, Renesse, and Serooskerke on January 1, 1961. As the name indicates, it cover ...

. In turn this municipality was merged into

municipality in 1997. During World War II Burgh was very often bombarded. In 1945 the church of Burgh was hit by a precision bombardment. The North Sea flood of 1953 did heavy damage in Burgh.

References

{{Authority control Schouwen-Duiveland History of Schouwen-Duiveland Populated places in Zeeland Former municipalities of Zeeland