Scharmer: History and Routes

Scharmer brings together historic landmarks, routes and landscape features. When choosing a destination, you can distinguish between two main interests: traces of the church, Hoofdweg and the former Veenborg, and routes in the area around the village. The village’s history can be read in individual dates, building types and forms of monuments; its landscape is reflected in named routes and the Westerbroek ecological corridor.

Church and tombstone: historical timelines

Scharmer’s church was first mentioned in the first half of the 13th century. A new brick church was built in Scharmer in 1296. After the church was demolished in 1824, the tombstone of Atke van Douma was returned to its former position on the former churchyard, having been removed from the church floor. Atke van Douma died in 1605.

The tombstone features a reclining figure, known as a gisant. The term refers to a tomb figure depicted lying down and helps explain the monument’s form. In Scharmer, this brings together architectural history and funerary art: the church’s first mention and its later rebuilding mark different points in time, while the tombstone bearing Atke van Douma’s name provides another historical trace. If you are interested in art and architectural history, these details offer specific points of reference without reducing the village’s history to a single date.

Hoofdweg and the Veenborg in the village landscape

The buildings along Hoofdweg also help place the village’s history in context. The street is lined mainly with workers’ houses and town houses, most of which date from the first half of the 20th century. Hoofdweg 70 in Scharmer is a former vicarage with a Sunday school. These provide different kinds of historical clues: a street characterized by recurring house types and a specific address with a former religious function. This distinction helps you consider buildings both by the period in which they were built and by their former role.

Another historic point of reference is the former Veenborg of Scharmer. Its presence in the landscape is marked by a large earthwork. The highest plateau of the earthwork marks the former site of the manor house. The earthwork thus points to the former estate, while its highest section marks the location of the manor house. Together with the traces of the church and other buildings, the Veenborg offers another way to explore the village’s past: here, the shape of an earthwork in the terrain marks a former site.

Landscape and routes around Scharmer

The Westerbroek ecological corridor lies between Scharmer and Westerbroek, close to Scharmer. There is also an approximately eight-metre-high observation point. A walking path connects to an existing route along Scharmerplas and the Borgmeren. When planning your visit, both this named landscape area and the specific route connection are important points of reference.

The “Rondje Dannemeer en Scharmer Ae” route runs between Schaaphok and Woudbloem, along the Scharmer Ae. Its course can be distinguished from the route connection along Scharmerplas and the Borgmeren: one route runs between the two villages and along the Scharmer Ae, while the other connects to an existing route along the named landscape features. When comparing routes, these specific points of reference and routes help you decide what to focus on in your plans.

When choosing where to stay, you can first consider whether you are more interested in local history or in the landscape and routes. The church, tombstone, Hoofdweg and Veenborg are historical points of interest; the Westerbroek ecological corridor, observation point and routes mentioned above relate to the landscape.

Discover more destinations: Steendam, Overschild, Kolham, Slochteren.

Go to the main travel overview: Slochteren.