| Country | Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Province | Drenthe |
| Municipality | De Wolden |
| Elevation | 2 m |
| Area total | 34.45 km² |
| Population total | 3,950 |
| Population as of | 2021 |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| Time zone (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 7961[1] |
| Dialing code | 0522 |
| Coordinates | 52°43′22″N 6°15′2″E |
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".[2] Ruinerwold is a road village which developed on a sandy ridge since the 13th century.[3]
The Dutch Reformed church is located in the former hamlet of Blijdenstein which has merged into Ruinerwold.[2][3] 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.[3] Rich farmers formerly lived in Ruinerwold, where they constructed expansive farmhouses with ornate embellishments.[3]
Ruinerwold was home to 1,245 people in 1840.[4] Ruinerwold was a separate municipality until 1998, when it became part of De Wolden.[4]
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.[5] The charges were later dropped due to his poor health.[6]
References
- ^ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Ruinerwold" (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ Ronald Stenvert (2001). Ruinerwold (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. p. 61. ISBN 90 400 9454 3. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ^ "Ruinerwold" (in Dutch). Plaatsengids. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ 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
- ^ "Dutch farm case: Prosecutors drop abuse charges against 'too ill' father". BBC News. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2021-04-14.