Westergeast

Village in Friesland, Netherlands

Flag

Coat of arms

Location in the former Kollumerland municipality

53°17′28″N 6°5′8″E / 53.29111°N 6.08556°E / 53.29111; 6.08556Country

NetherlandsProvince

FrieslandMunicipality Noardeast-FryslânArea

^[1]

• Total9.83 km² (3.80 sq mi)Elevation

^[2]

0.2 m (0.7 ft)Population

(2021)^[1]

• Total610 • Density62/km² (160/sq mi)Postal code

9295^[1]

Dialing code0511

Westergeast (Dutch: Westergeest, Low German: Westergaist) is a village in Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 621 as of January 2017.^[3] Before 2019, the village was part of the Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland municipality.^[4]

History

The village was first mentioned around 1333 as Ghaest.^[5] It is located on a slight hill (geast). The village uses west to distinguish itself with Wygeast [nl].^[5] The Dutch Reformed church dates from 1200. In 1807, the tower was lowered. The church was restored between 1954 and 1957.^[6] Some of the stones from the tower were reused in a little woudhuisje (forest house) next to the church. The little house was demolished in 2018.^[7]

In 1840, it was home to 263 people.^[4] There is a restored windmill north of the village, De Beintemapoldermolen. It is a polder mill built in 1870. In 1950, a pumping station made the wind mill obsolete.^[8]

The village's official name was changed from Westergeest to Westergeast in 2023.^[9]^[10]

Gallery

Landscape (Westergeast)
House in Westergeast
Street view
Bed & Breakfast in Westergeast

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 1 April 2022. two entries
^ "Postcodetool for 9295KA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^ Inwonertal en info 2017 - Kollumerland
^ ^a ^b "Westergeest". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Westergeest - (geografische naam)". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^ Ronald Stenvert & Sabine Broekhoven (2000). "Westergeest" (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90 400 9476 4. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^ "Een mooi ensemble verdwijnt: Uniek woudhuis in Westergeest tegen de vlakte". Friesch Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^ "De Beintemapoldermolen". Molen database (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^ "22 dorpen in Noardeast-Fryslân krijgen op 1 januari 2023 een nieuwe Friese naam" [22 villages in Noardeast-Fryslân will receive a new Frisian name on 1 January 2023]. RTV NOF (in Dutch). 10 December 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
^ "Friese namen" [Frisian names]. Taalunie (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 April 2023.