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Oud-Beets (The Netherlands)

Opsterland municipality, Fryslân province

image by Jarig Bakker, 14 Sep 2003
design: Mr. Jelle Terluin.

Oud-Beets villageward
Oud-Beets coat of arms

See also:

Oud-Beets villageward

Oud-Beets (Frisian: Âld Beets) is a ward of the village of Beetsterzwaag, in Opsterland municipality in Fryslân province. Until 1925 it was a separate village; it merged with Beetsterzwaag; after WWII most of the old village area became part of the village Nij Beets; one street remains.
Oud-Beets coat of arms: wavy divided a. in gold three green diagonal stripes; b. in red a bell with two fleurs-de-lis, all yellow.
Flag: left diagonally divided four stripes of red, yellow, green and yellow, of which the first reaches from the hoist bottom to 2/3 flag length, the other have a width of 1/3 flag height; in red a yellow fleur-de-lis.
Beets was one of the oldest villages of Opsterland, and the most important, because the "grietman" (mayor) lived there. Moreover it was the seat of the very old deaconate of Bornego. On the old churchyard are the graves of many important people, like the Lycklama's, the Van Eijsinga's and the Van Harinxsma's and the tombes of the Van Lyndens.
In 1925 Beets and Beetsterzwaag became one village, but the Âld-Beetsters still feel enough pride to want their own coat of arms and flag. On the Schotanus-map of Beets (1718) one can see that the land-use of the fields around the village was mainly rye-cultivation and meadows. This situation is reflected in the top of the coat of arms: yellow for rye and green for meadows. At present all is meadow, apart from a few acres of maize. The north-south direction of the fields is reflected by the diagonal
division. The name "Beets" was originally "Beke" = brook. This brook was the "Ouddiep" or "Koningsdiep". The wavy dividing line represents that.
The color red was the color of the old "grietmannen" Fockens, Lycklama, and VanLynden, who had mainly red and gold on their arms. The oldest remaining memories are the bells of the beautiful monumental church, which has disappeared (the church, that is). The old bells from 1482 and 1520 were damaged by a fire in 1967. When the church and spire were demolished in 1985 the bells were transported to the regional museum in Gorredijk, where one can admire them at the entrance. One of them has been put on the shield base. A new bell has been put in a bell-cage on the old churchyard. The two fleurs-de-lis remind of the Lycklama's, who had this in their arms, and of the yellow flags, which grew on the ditch banks around Beets.
The flag is a simplification of the coat of arms. The fleur-de-lis is placed in the canton, to symbolize the old importance of the village: in the castle Walrich the grietman lived.
Design: Jelle Terluin
Source: De Woudklank (local newspaper), 9 Mar 2000
Genealogysk Jierboekje 2000.
Jarig Bakker, 14 Sep 2003

Oud-Beets coat of arms

from De Woudklank (local newspaper), 9 Mar 2000 .