Last modified: 2004-09-24 by jarig bakker
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by Jarig Bakker, 2 Jun 2003
adopted 25 Jan 1972
According to Derkwillem Visser's "Gemeentevlaggen en wapens Koninkrijk
der Nederlanden", 2001, the municipal flag of Ulrum was adopted 25
Jan 1972; description: five equally wide horizontal stripes yellow - white
- blue - green - white.
Jarig Bakker, 2 Jun 2003
May I assume that the Groningsen "wierden" are the same as the
Frisian "terpen"?
The "terpen" were built from the 5th century A.D, till the 13th
century in order to prevent sea and river waters to flood farms and churches.
The height of the "terpen" varies between 2 and 6 meters, their area between
1 and 12 ha. The north of Friesland is called "Terpenland". A literal
translation of "terpen" would be "mound", wouldn't it?
Ivan Sache, 2 Jun 2003
You are right: "terpen" and "wierden" are synonyms. The "Groninger Ommelanden"
were part of Friesland in the Middle Ages (nowadays they still use the
Frisian flag on their flag and CoA) and the landscape is about the same
as the Frisian landscape - the farms are a bit bigger; in Friesland the
farmers are "boeren", in Grunningen they're called "hereboeren",
and their farmhouses are more stately. We don't really know how high the
terpen or wierden really were, as the top was often used as very fertile
soil, and "scientists" have demolished many buildings and mounds for their
"research" in the 19th century. The terp
in Hoogebeintum/Hegebeintum in Ferwerderadiel
is the highest known: 12,50 meters above sealevel. (its church is well
worth a visit). The largest in area was 18 ha. One of the most impressive
is in Ezinge (Groningen), with 17 ha. In Friesland many placenames contain
*wier* or *werd* as a reference to their terpen. In
the Betuwe (western Gelderland) terpen were called "woerden".
Jarig Bakker, 2 Jun 2003
This coat of arms belonged to the Frisian family Aesinga, probably a branch of the Asinga's which gave their name to the Asinga-borch (manor) in Ulrum. However it is appropriate, as Zoutkamp is an important fidhing port; moon and star might refer to the position near the sea, and Ulrum being one of the northernmost municipalities in the Netherlands.