Hensbroek

Hensbroek is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Koggenland, and lies about 4 km east of Heerhugowaard.

Hensbroek
Village
Village view with church tower
Village view with church tower
Coat of arms of Hensbroek
Coat of arms
The village centre (dark green) and the statistical district (light green) of Hensbroek in the municipality of Obdam.
The village centre (dark green) and the statistical district (light green) of Hensbroek in the municipality of Obdam.
Hensbroek is located in Netherlands
Hensbroek
Hensbroek
Location in the Netherlands
Hensbroek is located in North Holland
Hensbroek
Hensbroek
Location in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands
Coordinates: 52°39′N 4°53′E
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceNorth Holland
MunicipalityKoggenland
Area
[1]
 • Total5.55 km2 (2.14 sq mi)
Elevation
[2]
−0.7 m (−2.3 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total1,305
 • Density240/km2 (610/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
1711[1]
Dialing code0226

Overview

The village was first mentioned around 1312 as Hensbroec, and means "swampy land belonging to Hen (person)".[3] Hensbroek developed in the Late Middle Ages after a peat excavation settlement to the west had been abandoned. The village burnt down in 1648.[4]

The Dutch Reformed church is a single aisled church with needle spire which was built between 1657 and 1658, because the medieval church had burnt down in 1579.[4] The polder mill was built in 1866. In 1908, it was decommissioned after a pumping station was installed, but returned to service in 1934 when the pumping station became defective, and stayed on duty until 1948 when a new Diesel powered pumping station was operational. The wind mill is still frequently in service on a voluntary basis.[5]

Hensbroek was home to 324 people in 1840.[6] It was a separate municipality between 1817 and 1979, when it was merged with Obdam.[7] In 2007, it became part of the municipality of Koggenland.[6]

The municipal coat of arms(nl) (introduced 1817) is canting, representing a folk etymology of the name amounting to an interpretation of "hen's breeches". The actual etymology of the broek element is "brook", not "breeches", but its interpretation as "breeches" has a precedent in classical heraldry in the coat of arms of Abbenbroek as shown in the Beyeren Armorial (c. 1405, fol. 39v).[8]

  • Wind mill Nieuw Leven
    Wind mill Nieuw Leven

References
  1. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 30 April 2022. two entries
  2. "Postcodetool for 1711KA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  3. "Hensbroek - (geografische naam)". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  4. Ronald Stenvert & Saskia van Ginkel-Meester (2006). "Hensbroek" (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  5. "Molen Hensbroek". Molen database (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  6. "Hensbroek". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  7. Ad van der Meer and Onno Boonstra, Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten, KNAW, 2011.
  8. Willem Albert Bachiene, Beschryving der Vereenigde Nederlanden (1773), p. 732. Bernard Homer Dixon, Surnames (1857), p.11.
  • Media related to Hensbroek at Wikimedia Commons
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