Once upon a time, fire was a constant threat. This is the story of the Beschuittoren.
Back in 1620, the Beschuittoren was built in Wormer. It served a crucial purpose for the beschuit bakeries. These bakeries were housed in small wooden buildings. They were very susceptible to fire.
To reduce the risk, the local government made a rule in 1605. Baking was not allowed between 6 PM and midnight. This was to prevent the ovens from overheating. The church bell signaled when bakers needed to put out their fires.
However, bakers in the western part of Wormer had a problem. When the wind was blowing in the wrong direction, they couldn’t hear the church bell. So, in 1620, the Beschuittoren was built. It stood on the west side of the village. It had a bell that rang at 6 AM, noon, and 6 PM. It warned the bakers when to extinguish their fires. The Beschuittoren helped prevent fires.
The Beschuittoren was more than just functional. It was topped with a beautiful spire. It featured an open lantern and a tulip bulb with a weather vane. The weather vane was shaped like a nymph holding a horn.
As the beschuit bakeries disappeared, the Beschuittoren lost its purpose. By the turn of the 19th century, it had become dilapidated. It leaned severely to the south and east. The spire was in such bad shape that it was dangerous.
The community considered restoring the Beschuittoren. But, the repairs were too expensive. In 1895, the council decided not to demolish it. They tried to raise money for repairs. Sadly, in 1896, the Beschuittoren was sold for demolition. A man from Haarlem named Boots bought it.
Before its demolition, the Haarlem painter H. N. Postma immortalized the Beschuittoren on canvas. During demolition, workers found that the walls were one meter thick at the base. The stones were 13 by 26 cm.
The bell, made of high-quality metal with a high silver content, weighed over 450 kilos. It was inscribed with ‘Soli Deo Gloria. Henricus Meurs me fecit 1620.’ Despite interest from buyers, the bell was taken to Haarlem.
The four carved stones from the Beschuittoren were embedded in the east wall of the Honig Breethuis museum in 1940. In 1981, a wooden replica of the Beschuittoren was constructed for Wormer’s 700th-anniversary celebration.
A new Beschuittoren was rebuilt with an adjacent barn. In 2017, the first pile was driven into the ground. The new tower opened in 2018. It stands about 50 meters from its original location.
The Beschuittoren stands as a symbol. It shows Wormer’s history and resilience. It’s a reminder of the past and a beacon for the future.