Pingjum Explained

Pingjum
Native Name:Penjum
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Netherlands Friesland#Netherlands
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the Netherlands
Coordinates:53.116°N 5.44°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Netherlands
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1: Friesland
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2: Súdwest-Fryslân
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:13.31
Elevation Footnotes:[1]
Elevation M:0.4
Population As Of:2021
Population Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:585
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:8749
Area Code Type:Dialing code
Area Code:0517

Pingjum (Western Frisian: Penjum) is a village in the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân in Friesland, in the northern Netherlands and lies 6.6km (04.1miles) southwest of Harlingen. It had a population of around 585 in January 2017.[3]

History

The village was first mentioned in the 13th century as Penningem, and means "settlement of Penne (person)".[4] Pingjum is a terp (artificial living hill) village from the early middle ages which developed on the Marneslenk in a grid structure.[5] According to legend, the earliest settlers were shepherds from Drenthe who decided to build the terps and around 1100 added dikes for further protection against the sea.

The tower of the Dutch Reformed church was built in the 12th or 13th century and was enlarged in the 15th century. The church dates from around 1500 and was enlarged in 1759. A water well is located next to the choir.[5]

In 1524, Menno Simons became priest at the church. Simons started to preach against militarism and was baptised as an adult. His breach with the Catholic church started in Pingjum, and led to the Mennonites.[6] A Mennonite church was built around 1600 as a clandestine church behind a non conspicuous house which was used as clergy house. It is one of the oldest still extant Mennonite churches.[5]

During the February flood of 1825, Frisian seawalls broke. Pingjum was spared thanks to a dike around the village known as the Pingjumer Golden Collar (Pingjumer Gulden Halsband). In 1892 the province of Friesland decided to put an end to the Pingjumer Golden Collar coastal protection, although in several places the dike is still visible.[7] This ring dyke was originally built in part to reclaim land from the Marne Estuary to the north of the village.[8]

Pingjum was home to 116 people in 1840.[9] Part of the terp was excavated.[10]

In 1945, the village was severely damaged.[5] On 15 April 1945, Canadian troops demanded the surrender of the German forces in the area. The Germans refused and hid in Pingjum. An intense two day battle with mortars and flame-throwers followed. On 17 April, the last farms in which the Germans were hiding, were set on fire.[6]

Before 2011, the village was part of the Wûnseradiel municipality.[9]

Notable residents

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Postcodetool for 8749GA . nl . Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland . 24 July 2019 . Het Waterschapshuis . 6 April 2022 .
  2. Web site: Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021 . Central Bureau of Statistics . 6 April 2022. two entries.
  3. http://statline.cbs.nl/Statweb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=83765NED&D1=0-1,3-4,8,11,14,28,31-32,99-104&D2=13314-13470&HDR=T&STB=G1&VW=T Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2017
  4. Web site: Pingjum - (geografische naam) . Etymologiebank . 6 April 2022 . nl.
  5. Book: Pingjum . Ronald Stenvert & Sabine Broekhoven . 2000 . Waanders . Zwolle . 90-400-9476-4 . nl . 6 April 2022.
  6. Web site: Dorpsvisie Pingjum 2012-2020. 2012 . Dorp Pingjum . 6 April 2022 . nl.
  7. Web site: Home . dorppingjum.nl.
  8. Web site: Spek. Theo. De Marneslenk Het kustlandschap van zuidelijk Westergo door de eeuwen heen. 22 March 2018. 2 September 2017.
  9. Web site: Pingjum . Plaatsengids . 6 April 2022 . nl.
  10. Web site: Pingjum . Friesland wonderland . 6 April 2022 . nl.