Westergeast (, ) is a village in

Noardeast-Fryslân Noardeast-Fryslân () is a municipality of Friesland in the northern Netherlands. It was established 1 January 2019 and consists of the former municipalities of Dongeradeel, Ferwerderadiel and Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland, all three of which ...

in the province of

Friesland Friesland ( ; ; official ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia (), named after the Frisians, is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen (p ...

, the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. It had a population of around 621 as of January 2017. Before 2019, the village was part of the

Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland (; ), officially abbreviated as Kollumerland c.a., is a former municipality in the northern Netherlands, located in the province of Friesland. In 2019 it merged with the municipalities of Dongeradeel and Ferwerderadi ...

municipality.

History

The village was first mentioned around 1333 as Ghaest. It is located on a slight hill ('' geast''). The village uses west to distinguish itself with . The Dutch Reformed church dates from 1200. In 1807, the tower was lowered. The church was restored between 1954 and 1957. Some of the stones from the tower were reused in a little ''woudhuisje'' (forest house) next to the church. The little house was demolished in 2018. In 1840, it was home to 263 people. There is a restored

windmill A windmill is a machine operated by the force of wind acting on vanes or sails to mill grain (gristmills), pump water, generate electricity, or drive other machinery. Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern period ...

north of the village, De Beintemapoldermolen. It is a polder mill built in 1870. In 1950, a

pumping station Pumping stations, also called pumphouses, are public utility buildings containing pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are critical in a variety of infrastructure systems, such as water supply, Land reclamation, ...

made the wind mill obsolete. The village's official name was changed from Westergeest to Westergeast in 2023.

Gallery

File:Landschaft bei Westergeest (Gem. Noardeast-Fryslân).jpg, Landscape (Westergeast) File:Eelke Meinertswei 14, Westergeest.jpg, House in Westergeast File:Eelke Meinertswei 15 & 17, Westergeest.jpg, Street view File:Eelke Meinertswei 8, Westergeest.jpg, Bed & Breakfast in Westergeast

References

External links

Westergeest.net
Noardeast-Fryslân Populated places in Friesland {{Friesland-geo-stub