Noordbeemster: Farmhouse Architecture and Polder History

Noordbeemster developed as a linear settlement of houses and farms. The historic village centre has preserved the appearance of the old districts that sprang up in the Beemster. Farmhouse architecture, polder history and agricultural themes shape the character of the village and offer various starting points for planning your trip.

Farmhouse Architecture in Noordbeemster

Beemsters Wapen was built in 1884 and is considered a well-preserved example of late 19th-century farmhouse architecture in the Beemster. The building has cultural and architectural-historical value. Its features include eclectic design elements and two pairs of outward-opening garden doors in the central section—a solution that is rare outside the Beemster.

Another protected building is the wooden house at Oosthuizerweg 25, dating from the early 19th century. Its pointed gable, fanlight above the entrance and carved door give the façade distinctive details. Hovenberg, a Noord-Holland-type farmhouse built in 1889, also has two pairs of outward-opening garden doors in the central section. Here, too, this solution is considered rare outside the Beemster.

The farmhouses De Vlijthoeve and Zonnehoek showcase other architectural features. De Vlijthoeve was built in 1852 in a regionally characteristic style, with eclectic details. Zonnehoek dates from 1869; its front gable is designed in a very restrained neoclassical style. Poortugal, meanwhile, is a brick Stelphoeve farmhouse with a raised central section of the front gable. A cartouche on the building bears the year 1780.

The history of a single building also brings the village’s development to life: the oldest building in Noordbeemster dates from 1725 and began as one of five school buildings in the new polder. Together with the farmhouses, these types of buildings tell of different uses and designs, without reducing all the buildings to a single house type.

Polder History and Landscape

Kruisoord offers a distinct perspective on the landscape history of the Beemster. Its plot structure differs markedly from that of the Beemster polder and corresponds to that of the Beetskoog polder. Kruisoord is a former peat peninsula in the northern part of the Beemster polder, situated about two metres above the level of the surrounding polder.

Between 1610 and 1612, a ring canal was built to drain the Beemster. It separated Kruisoord from the Beetskoog polder and made the area a distinctive cultural landscape feature. Different landscape characteristics thus sit side by side here: the former peat peninsula, the differing plot structure and the historic connection to the drainage of the Beemster.

The polder house complex is also part of the history of water management in the Beemster polder. It is a well-preserved example of buildings constructed as part of this water management system, and has architectural and cultural-historical value. An iron staircase leads over and partly into the Noorddijk to the polder house. The complex also includes an elaborately designed garden gate, serving as an enclosure, from the second half of the 19th century.

At Westdijk, a wide path beside a gate set farther back recalls the former mill race. Also on Westdijk in the Beemster is De Boetserie, an official Rustpunt. These features add to the picture of the landscape without needing to be conflated with the individual farmhouses in the village centre.

Agricultural Themes and Regional Products

There are several places in Noordbeemster where regional products are sold directly from the farm.

Another local speciality is Beemster Mini Koe, a facility in Noordbeemster centred on rare miniature cows. The animals include Mini Galloways and Mini Highlanders. Small-scale Feed & Greet sessions are also held on the grounds. If you would like to include one of these sessions in your plans, check the dates in advance.

Noordbeemster can thus be explored from several perspectives: its preserved settlement pattern, the details of its farmhouses, the history of its polder landscape and its agricultural themes. You can take into account which of these aspects is most important to you when planning your stay.

Discover more destinations: Middenbeemster, Zuidoostbeemster.

For the main travel overview: Beemster.