Nederland - Niehove en kerk

The village of Niehove dates back to before our era. Initially it was called Suxwort (Zuidwierde); around the year of 1200 it got its current name. Niehove is a beautiful example of a wierde village: a wierde is a man made elevation that served as a location for villages and as a refuge during rising water. Under the name Suxwort the village was for centuries the capital of Humsterland, which at that time - when the sea came much further inland - was a real island.

Niehove remained largely unchanged through the centuries. The village resembles a kind of spider’s web on its round wierde. The little red brick houses are located in two circles around the church, with their backs turned to the fields.

The church of Niehove (couldn’t find a ‘real’ name) is located on the top of the wierde. The Roman-Gothic church was built around the year of 1230, on the spot where a little wooden church has stood. Until the 16th century it was the only stone building in the village. It was not until the 18th century that the church was furnished with benches. Before then, churchgoers had to stand: men at the south side and women at the north side. For a long time, the Niehove churchyard was separated from the street by a circular canal, which was to force ghosts to remain at the churchyard and prevent them from venturing out into the village.

Today the church has an interesting visitor centre with information about the village and Humsterland. It is also used for events and weddings.