Oudewater
Encyclopedia
Oudewater is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands
, in the province of Utrecht
.
, Oudewater, Papekop
, Snelrewaard
.
. Oudewater was an important border city between Holland and Utrecht
. Oudewater (lit. "Old water") was of great strategic importance. The town was granted city rights
in 1265 by Hendrik van Vianden, the bishop of Utrecht. Oudewater took place in the First Free Statescouncil in Dordrecht on July 19, 1572, Oudewater was one of the twelve cities taking part in the first free convention of the States-General in Dordrecht
. This was a meeting that laid down the origin of the State of the Netherlands, as we know it now, under the leadership of the House of Orange. This happened at the beginning of the 80 year war (1568–1648) when the Netherlands were still part of the Spanish Empire
. After a siege of several months, Oudewater was conquered by the Spanish on August 7, 1575, and most of its inhabitants were killed.
In the 16th and 17th century, Oudewater was an important producer of rope
. In the surrounding area, hemp
was cultivated. There still is a rope manufacturing plant and a rope museum in the town.
Oudewater is the setting for the 1975 novel, Das Geheimnis des Baron Oudewater, set in the 16th century, when The Netherlands was fighting for its independence from Spain. Written by the German author Alberta Rommel, it has been described as a "romantic historical novel".
(Witch
es' scales
). This Weighing house, an official town building, became famous during the 16th century because people accused of witchcraft
were offered an honest chance of proving their innocence. In many cities and countries such trials were usually rigged, resulting in the burning or drowning of hundreds of innocent people.
Many people accused of witchcraft from all over Europe (or at least, those who could afford the trip) made a head-over-heels trip to Oudewater to avoid being burned at a stake. After the weighing, they received an official certificate proclaiming them not a witch. Although nobody was ever found to be an actual witch in Oudewater, the weighings were still a public spectacle. Even today you can get a certificate that "your body weight is in proportion to your build." The reasoning behind this is the old belief that a witch has no soul and therefore weighs significantly less than an ordinary person; this distinction allows the witch to fly on a broomstick.
So in medieval times when accusations of witchcraft (and resultant burnings) were prevalent, the town of Oudewater offered the accused a chance of proving his or her innocence. This was more special than it sounds. It is a sign of the growing power of a third force next to church and nobility, i.e. citizens. In a bid for total domination, the witchhunts were sanctioned by the church to break the power of the local herb doctors (especially the females). The citizens of Oudewater therefore were, simply by being honest, defying the church.
The Waag is still open as a tourist attraction, and official certificates are available.
The town hall dates from 1588 and features a stork's nest. Oudewater has a monumental protected city centre with more than 250 protected houses. The church, now Protestant, dates from the 15th century. Its tower is from round 1300. During the religious wars, until the sacking of Oudewater, both Roman Catholics and Protestants used this church. Thereafter Catholics were still tolerated (the Spanish occupators being Catholic) but more in low profile.
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...
, in the province of Utrecht
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
.
Population centres
The municipality of Oudewater consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: HekendorpHekendorp
Hekendorp is a village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Oudewater, and lies about 6 km east of Gouda....
, Oudewater, Papekop
Papekop
Papekop is a small village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Oudewater, and lies about 3 km northwest of the city of Oudewater....
, Snelrewaard
Snelrewaard
Snelrewaard is a hamlet in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Oudewater, and lies about 2 km east of the city of Oudewater.Snelrewaard was a separate municipality from 1817 to 1989, when it was merged with Oudewater....
.
The town of Oudewater
Oudewater is situated where the Linschoten river flows out in the Hollandsche IJssel. The origin of the town of Oudewater is obscure and no information has been found concerning the first settlement of citizens. It is also difficult to recover the name of Oudewater. One explanation is that the name is a corruption of old water-meadowWater-meadow
A water-meadow is an area of grassland subject to controlled irrigation to increase agricultural productivity. Water-meadows were mainly used in Europe from the 16th to the early 20th centuries...
. Oudewater was an important border city between Holland and Utrecht
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
. Oudewater (lit. "Old water") was of great strategic importance. The town was granted city rights
City rights in the Netherlands
City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries. A liegelord, usually a count, duke or similar member of high nobility, granted a settlement he owned certain town privileges that settlements without city rights did not have....
in 1265 by Hendrik van Vianden, the bishop of Utrecht. Oudewater took place in the First Free Statescouncil in Dordrecht on July 19, 1572, Oudewater was one of the twelve cities taking part in the first free convention of the States-General in Dordrecht
Dordrecht
Dordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
. This was a meeting that laid down the origin of the State of the Netherlands, as we know it now, under the leadership of the House of Orange. This happened at the beginning of the 80 year war (1568–1648) when the Netherlands were still part of the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. After a siege of several months, Oudewater was conquered by the Spanish on August 7, 1575, and most of its inhabitants were killed.
In the 16th and 17th century, Oudewater was an important producer of rope
Rope
A rope is a length of fibres, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength...
. In the surrounding area, hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
was cultivated. There still is a rope manufacturing plant and a rope museum in the town.
Oudewater is the setting for the 1975 novel, Das Geheimnis des Baron Oudewater, set in the 16th century, when The Netherlands was fighting for its independence from Spain. Written by the German author Alberta Rommel, it has been described as a "romantic historical novel".
Important buildings
Oudewater is famous for the HeksenwaagWaag
A weigh house or weighing house is a public building at or within which goods, and the like, are weighed. Most of these buildings were built before 1800, prior to the establishment of international standards for weights...
(Witch
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
es' scales
Weighing scale
A weighing scale is a measuring instrument for determining the weight or mass of an object. A spring scale measures weight by the distance a spring deflects under its load...
). This Weighing house, an official town building, became famous during the 16th century because people accused of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
were offered an honest chance of proving their innocence. In many cities and countries such trials were usually rigged, resulting in the burning or drowning of hundreds of innocent people.
Many people accused of witchcraft from all over Europe (or at least, those who could afford the trip) made a head-over-heels trip to Oudewater to avoid being burned at a stake. After the weighing, they received an official certificate proclaiming them not a witch. Although nobody was ever found to be an actual witch in Oudewater, the weighings were still a public spectacle. Even today you can get a certificate that "your body weight is in proportion to your build." The reasoning behind this is the old belief that a witch has no soul and therefore weighs significantly less than an ordinary person; this distinction allows the witch to fly on a broomstick.
So in medieval times when accusations of witchcraft (and resultant burnings) were prevalent, the town of Oudewater offered the accused a chance of proving his or her innocence. This was more special than it sounds. It is a sign of the growing power of a third force next to church and nobility, i.e. citizens. In a bid for total domination, the witchhunts were sanctioned by the church to break the power of the local herb doctors (especially the females). The citizens of Oudewater therefore were, simply by being honest, defying the church.
The Waag is still open as a tourist attraction, and official certificates are available.
The town hall dates from 1588 and features a stork's nest. Oudewater has a monumental protected city centre with more than 250 protected houses. The church, now Protestant, dates from the 15th century. Its tower is from round 1300. During the religious wars, until the sacking of Oudewater, both Roman Catholics and Protestants used this church. Thereafter Catholics were still tolerated (the Spanish occupators being Catholic) but more in low profile.
External links
- Official website
- A map of Oudewater
- Pictures of Oudewater
- Museum de Heksenwaag - Official site in Dutch with limited information in English
- Rope Museum - Official site in Dutch only