Cities in the Netherlands
North Sea Region
The Story of Noordwijk
In the 19th century also known as De Beide Noord-wijken (Both Noordwijks), the municipality of 26,000 had 3,000 inhabitants in 1840 when it comprised of Noordwijk aan Zee and Noordwijk-Binnen, plus a number of hamlets such as Langeveld, De Nes, Offem and De Klei.
Well-known for its huge church which was built in the 16th century on the foundations of an early 14th century building which had been destroyed in the disastrous 1450 fire which also wiped out most of the village. That church had been built on the site of a chapel founded by a 9th century Scottish nobleman turned preacher who was later sanctified by Rome.
Famous sons and daughters: Cornelis van Alkemade (1654) historian; Jan van der Does Sr (1545) politician/poet; Jan van der Does Jr (1571) classicist; Frederik Hemkes (1854) writer; Elie Luzac (1721) econom-ist/publisher; Mea Mees (1892) poet; Henriette Roland Holst van der Schaik (1869) writer; prof Jean Salverda de Grave (1863) romanist.