Den Bommel Explained

Den Bommel
Settlement Type:Village
Native Name Lang:nl
Pushpin Map:Netherlands South Holland#Netherlands
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands##Location in the Netherlands
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Netherlands
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:South Holland
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Goeree-Overflakkee
Elevation Footnotes:[1]
Elevation M:0.8
Area Total Km2:16.35
Population Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:1,705
Population As Of:2021
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:3258
Area Code Type:Dialing code
Area Code:0187
Coordinates:51.7152°N 4.2787°W

Den Bommel is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee, and lies about 14 km south of Spijkenisse.

History

The village was first mentioned in 1473 as Bommele, and refers to a form of peat. It was originally the name of a shoal which was diked between 1476 and 1477 by order of Mary of Burgundy.[3] Den Bommel became an independent parish in 1642.[4]

The Dutch Reformed church is an aisleless church built between 1646 and 1647. The ridge turret was added in 1759.[4] The grist mill De Bommelaer was built in 1735. The windmill had become derelict and started to deteriorate by 1951. Between 1969 and 1971, it was restored and returned to active service.[5]

Den Bommel was home to 620 people in 1840.[6] In 1944, the sluice from 1722 was blown up by the Germans causing the destruction of the town hall. Den Bommel was flooded during the North Sea flood of 1953 and was later extended further east.[4] It was an independent municipality until 1966 when it was merged into Oostflakkee. In 2013, it became part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee.[6]

In 1964, a grog statue was revealed for Sir Olivier B. Bommel. It had started to deteriorate and in 1995, the Society of Gentlemen of Good Standing was founded to construct a bronze statue of their role model. The new statue was revealed in 1997.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Postcodetool for 3258AA . nl . Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland . Het Waterschapshuis . 3 May 2022 .
  2. Web site: Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021 . Central Bureau of Statistics . 3 May 2022.
  3. Web site: Den Bommel - (geografische naam) . Etymologiebank . 3 May 2022 . nl.
  4. News: Den Bommel . Ronald Stenvert & Sabine Broekhoven . Waanders . Zwolle . 2004 . 90 400 9034 3 . nl . 3 May 2022.
  5. Web site: De Bommelaer . Molen database . 3 May 2022 . nl.
  6. Web site: Den Bommel . Plaatsengids . 3 May 2022 . nl.