Village in Friesland, Netherlands
Boksum (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbɔksʏm]) is a village in Waadhoeke municipality in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 400 people in 2020[3] Before 2018, the village was part of the Menameradiel municipality.[4]
Overview
The village was first mentioned in the 13th century as Boxum, meaning "settlement of Bokke or Bokse".[5] Boksum was a terp (artificial living hill) village with a radial structure which dates from before Christ. It was built close to the Middelzee.[6] The Dutch Reformed church has elements from the 12th century, and has been enlarged several times.[6] The tower collapsed in 1842 and was rebuilt in 1843 using the stones of the previous tower.[6][7]
On 17 January 1586, the last battle of the Dutch Revolt in Friesland was fought near Boksum. The Spanish won the battle, and an estimated 1,000 Dutch soldiers died; however, the ice had started to melt and an easy passage to the capital Leeuwarden over the ice was no longer an option.[7][4]
Boksum was home to 237 people in 1840.[4] The terp was partially excavated in 1869.[7]
Modern Boksum has a bakery, a community center and two churches. The oldest of the two churches is still used as a church belonging to the Dutch Reformed Church. The elementary school was used to teach three languages: Dutch, West Frisian and English, but closed in 2019 due a lack of students. The remainder of the school was incorporated into the elementary school in Deinum, an adjacent village.
Gallery
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Farm in Boksum
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View of Boksum
References
External links
