Ruinerwold

Ruinerwold
Local church
Ruinerwold
Location in province of Drenthe in the Netherlands
Ruinerwold
Ruinerwold (Netherlands)
Coordinates: 52°43′22″N 6°15′2″E / 52.72278°N 6.25056°E / 52.72278; 6.25056
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceDrenthe
MunicipalityDe Wolden
Area
 • Total
34.45 km2 (13.30 sq mi)
Elevation2 m (6.6 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total
3,950
 • Density115/km2 (297/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
7961[1]
Dialing code0522

Ruinerwold is a village in the Dutch province of Drenthe. It is located in the municipality of De Wolden, about 6 km northeast of Meppel.

History

The village was first mentioned in 1792 as Ruiner Wold, and means "the swampforest belonging to Ruinen".[3] Ruinerwold is a road village which developed on a sandy ridge since the 13th century.[4]

The Dutch Reformed church is located in the former hamlet of Blijdenstein which has merged into Ruinerwold.[3][4] The original Romanesque church (±1140) has been enlarged around 1425 in Gothic style. The upper part of the tower was restored after a 1730 fire.[4] Rich farmers formerly lived in Ruinerwold, where they constructed expansive farmhouses with ornate embellishments.[4]

Ruinerwold was home to 1,245 people in 1840.[5] Ruinerwold was a separate municipality until 1998, when it became part of De Wolden.[5]

Hermit family

In October 2019, a 67-year-old man, Gerrit Jan van Dorsten, and his six adult children were discovered, who had lived for nine years in seclusion in a farm house in Ruinerwold. The father was charged with unlawful deprivation of liberty and harming other people's health.[6] The charges were later dropped due to his poor health.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Postcodetool for 7961AA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Ruinerwold" (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Ronald Stenvert (2001). Ruinerwold (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. p. 61. ISBN 90 400 9454 3. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Ruinerwold". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  6. ^ Miller, Barbara (18 October 2019). "Father in Dutch 'end of time' family charged with abuse and money laundering as police interview his adult children". ABC News. Sydney, Australia.
  7. ^ "Dutch farm case: Prosecutors drop abuse charges against 'too ill' father". BBC News. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2021-04-14.

Media related to Ruinerwold at Wikimedia Commons