Wijdenes (
West Frisian: ''Venès'') 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
North Holland. It is located in the municipality of
Drechterland
Drechterland () is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. The municipality was formed in 1979, in a merger of the former municipalities of Hoogkarspel, Westwoud and Oosterblokker. Its o ...
and the region of
West-Frisia.
The village was first mentioned around 1312 as Widenesse, and means "wide headland". Wijdenes started as a
peat
Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficient ...
excavation settlement in the 12th century.
In 1282, a castle was built near the village by the count of Holland, but it was destroyed in 1296 by armies of West-Frisia.
The Dutch Reformed church was built in 1619 after the medieval church burnt down in 1616. The tower is from around 1500 and the
balustrade and spire were added in 1839.
The church is no longer in service, and is used as a recording studio and residential home.
Wijdenes was home to 347 people in 1840.
It was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1970, when it was merged with
Venhuizen
Venhuizen (; fy, Fenhúze) is a town in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia, in the municipality of Drechterland. Venhuizen was a separate municipality until 1 January 2006, when it was ...
.
Notable residents
* Tony Beets (1959), a gold prospector made famous on
Gold Rush
A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New ...
.
Gallery
File:Wijdenes2.jpg, Former town hall
File:Kerkbuurt 72, toren1, Wijdenes.JPG, Dutch Reformed church
File:Kerkbuurt 63, Wijdenes.JPG, House in Wijdenes
File:Overzicht voorgevel en rechter zijgevel van boerderij gezien vanaf inrit - Wijdenes - 20406719 - RCE.jpg, Farm in Wijdenes
References
Former municipalities of North Holland
Populated places in North Holland
Drechterland
{{NorthHolland-geo-stub