Villa Westerveld

Gazing at Villa Westerveld, can you picture it in its original splendor? Built in 1866 for G. Heshuijsen, Villa Westerveld stands as a testament to picturesque eclectic architecture. Located at the foot of a steep dune, Villa Westerveld’s story intertwines with the nearby Westerveld Cemetery. Initially a private residence, it later served as both a service house and office for the cemetery after its establishment in 1888. The villa’s white plastered walls rise from a black plinth, topped with gently sloping saddle and lean-to roofs. These roofs, supported by carved wooden braces, create an irregular silhouette against the sky. Notice the two-story central section flanked by lower side wings. On the left, a cross-arm stretches beneath a tiled saddle roof. On the right, a parallel wing sits under an asphalt shingle lean-to roof, partially replacing what was once a wooden veranda. The east facade, adorned with a simple wooden pergola, features double eight-pane garden doors on the ground floor. A small commemorative stone to the right marks the construction year and the commissioner’s name. Above, a six-pane window is framed by a profiled surround, a French balcony railing, and an entablature. The renovated right wing displays a modernized window arrangement where a pergola once stood. Look closely at the other facades. The left side of the central section boasts an eight-pane garden door below and a modernized window above. The west facade showcases a partially preserved six-pane window and a six-pane garden door on the ground floor. Two six-pane windows with French balcony railings grace the upper floor, all with profiled surrounds and hardstone sills. A small attic window peeks out from the top. The long north facade of the right wing has a low, continuous six-pane window on the left and a framed entrance with a two-pane transom window on the right. A small, almost square window sits above the entrance in the right side wall of the central section. Smaller windows and shutters are scattered across the west facade of the right wing. The left cross-arm displays low-set six-pane windows with profiled surrounds and hardstone sills on its east and south facades. A double cordon list runs along the top. An additional four-pane window graces the east facade, while the west facade remains blind. Villa Westerveld isn’t just a beautiful building. It’s a tangible link to a bygone era, a time when Zuid-Kennemerland was dominated by country estates. Its unique architecture and its evolving role connected to the cemetery make it a significant piece of local history.