Opperdoes
Encyclopedia
Opperdoes is an old village in the Dutch
province of North Holland
. It is a part of the municipality of Medemblik
, and lies about 12 km north of Hoorn
. It has a certain fame for its local variety of potato
es, "Opperdoezer Ronde".
The village used to be called Doess, which means 'low woods'.
The exact age of the village of Opperdoes is hard to determine. The village used to be located very close to the sea, and the area has been flooded several times. Initial settlements seem to have been abandoned after the year 300 because of large floods. New villages were later built on terps.
Opperdoes used to be located 4 or 5 kilometres from the sea-dike that existed around 781. However, the dike was in a very bad condition and in 1318 Willem van Henegouwen, the ruler, agreed the build a new dike. In 1334 a new dike was built between Medemblik
and Barsingerhorn
.
The new dike was built 4 kilometres southwards of the old one and Almersdorp, a village, was left outside the new dike.
In 1517 the old church of Opperdoes and many buildings were destroyed by Grote Pier
and his Frisian army, the Gelderse Friezen.
A new church was built, and it was ready in 1530. The top of the tower of the church was replaced in 1838, after it was destroyed in a storm in November 1836.
Opperdoes was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1979, when the new municipality of Noorder-Koggenland
was created.
on the railway between Hoorn and Medemblik
.
Around 1822 Jan Mazereeuw, the so-called Profete of Opperdoes preached in the village. He was a farmer and had been mayor of the village for a while during the French occupation
. He called the Reformed Church a godless temple and preached a very sober lifestyle. Although he never had a large crowd of followers, it is generally assumed that a part of the village's orthodoxy can be explained by his preachings.
and teacher
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
province of North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
. It is a part of the municipality of Medemblik
Medemblik
Medemblik is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.- History :...
, and lies about 12 km north of Hoorn
Hoorn
-Cities :* Purmerend * Enkhuizen * Alkmaar * Amsterdam * Lelystad * Den Helder * Leeuwarden -Towns :* Edam...
. It has a certain fame for its local variety of potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, "Opperdoezer Ronde".
The village used to be called Doess, which means 'low woods'.
History
Opperdoes used to be located 4 or 5 kilometres from the sea-dike that existed around 781. However, the dike was in a very bad condition and in 1318 Willem van Henegouwen, the ruler, agreed the build a new dike. In 1334 a new dike was built between Medemblik
Medemblik
Medemblik is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.- History :...
and Barsingerhorn
Barsingerhorn
Barsingerhorn is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Niedorp, and lies about north of Heerhugowaard. It received city rights in 1415....
.
The new dike was built 4 kilometres southwards of the old one and Almersdorp, a village, was left outside the new dike.
In 1517 the old church of Opperdoes and many buildings were destroyed by Grote Pier
Pier Gerlofs Donia
Pier Gerlofs Donia was a Frisian warrior, pirate, and rebel. He is best known by his West Frisian nickname "Grutte Pier" , or by the Dutch translations "Grote Pier" and "Lange Pier", or, in Latin, "Pierius Magnus", which referred to his legendary size and strength. His life is mostly shrouded in...
and his Frisian army, the Gelderse Friezen.
A new church was built, and it was ready in 1530. The top of the tower of the church was replaced in 1838, after it was destroyed in a storm in November 1836.
Opperdoes was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1979, when the new municipality of Noorder-Koggenland
Noorder-Koggenland
Noorder-Koggenland is a former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Abbekerk, located in the municipality of Noorder-Koggenland, received city rights in 1414.The municipality merged into Medemblik in 2007.- Population centres :...
was created.
Important buildings and locations
A touristic attraction is the old steam train stationTrain station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
on the railway between Hoorn and Medemblik
Steamtrain Hoorn Medemblik
The Museumstoomtram Hoorn Medemblik is a heritage railway in the Netherlands. It runs from Hoorn to Medemblik, a distance of about 20km.-Original:...
.
Religion
Religion has played an important part in the village in the last two centuries. Opperdoes is considered an orthodox village in a fairly liberal minded area. In earlier times the villagers of Opperdoes where called the Turks: they were a particularly free-minded people, in line with the other villages in the area, that enjoyed life to the fullest.Around 1822 Jan Mazereeuw, the so-called Profete of Opperdoes preached in the village. He was a farmer and had been mayor of the village for a while during the French occupation
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on January 19, 1795, and ended on June 5, 1806, with the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of the Kingdom of Holland....
. He called the Reformed Church a godless temple and preached a very sober lifestyle. Although he never had a large crowd of followers, it is generally assumed that a part of the village's orthodoxy can be explained by his preachings.
Famous people
Opperdoes is the birthplace of Pieter Wijdenes, a Dutch mathematicianMathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
.