Once called Dreyerhobreden Hobrede has a story rooted in water and land. Hobrede invites us to explore its past.
Hobrede is a village in North Holland. It is part of the Edam-Volendam municipality. The village lies near Purmerend.
First mentioned in 1639 as Hobreet its name reveals its purpose. It means the main side of the parcel connecting the dike. The land’s width decided the farmer’s dike maintenance fee. Imagine the landscape. Farmers diligently maintaining the dikes. Their fees directly tied to the land they owned.
Hobrede once had a church. Sadly it was demolished in 1826. By 1840 only 115 people called Hobrede home. Villagers built their own village house in 1991.
The name Hobrede evolved. It was also written as Hobree or Obreet. Dreyerhobreden links it to the lost village of Drey also called Vrei. Drey meant a natural waterway where water flowed away. The veenstroom Drei still flows south of Kwadijk.
The “hobrede” was the width of land against the dike. The narrow part was the head or hoofdbreedte. This was the oldest form of dike maintenance. In Friesland hoofd is shortened to ho. So homan means hoofdman.
Look at the direction of the ditches from the Oosthuizen dike towards Hobrede. You will see plots perpendicular to the village road. The road was once part of the Nieuwedijk. The plot ends are parallel to the road. This was called hobrede in old Frisian. Dreyerhobreden suggests the plots bordered the Drey. The Drey likely ran where the Beemsterringsloot now lies.
The people of Hobrede managed their dikes uniquely. Landowners maintained the dike section bordering their land. Only those along the dike had this duty. Land further away had no such obligation. This division was based on hoofdbreedte or hobrede.
Consider the saying “Wien ‘t water deert / Die ‘t water keert.” It reflects the spirit of Hobrede. Those affected by water manage it.
Hobrede a small village holds a big lesson. The landscape reminds us of the constant battle against water. The story of Hobrede is a story of resilience. It is a story of community. It is a story etched in the very land we stand on.