Perhaps, it’s the blend of nature and history that captivates you most about Velserbeek. This park offers more than meets the eye. The earliest records of Velserbeek date back to 1544. Back then, it was a farmstead in the Kerkbuurt of Velsen village.
Imagine Velserbeek in 1639. It was owned by Jerimias van Keulen, a rich Amsterdam merchant. He transformed the farmstead into an estate with a manor house and ornamental gardens. By 1668, Velserbeek boasted a large house and a gardener’s dwelling. There were stables for six horses plus a hay and carriage house. The grounds included orchards and flower and vegetable gardens.
Hendrik ter Smitten senior and junior expanded the property. They reshaped the gardens into a formal layout. In 1769, Frans Jacob Berg acquired Velserbeek. Inspired by a study trip through Germany and Austria, he began to favor the landscape style.
After Frans Jacob’s death, his wife considered selling Velserbeek. However, her father Johan Goll von Franckenstein stopped the sale. The Golls were nature enthusiasts. Johan Goll junior transformed the geometric garden into an English landscape style. This included decorative elements. There was a ruin, a hermit’s hut, a jenever house and a Chinese Schellenhuisje. By 1797, only a few lanes of the formal garden remained. Between these lanes and the manor house were gardens. They cultivated various fruits, flowers and plants. Johan Georg Michaël, Beeckestijn’s garden architect, may have designed it.
In 1802, Johan Goll junior acquired ‘s-Gravenlust adding it to Velserbeek. In 1832, the Van Tuyll van Serooskerken family took ownership. Baron Ernst van Tuyll changed the garden. He created a deer camp in front of the manor house. This required removing the driveway from Driehuizerkerkweg. New entrances were made from Kerkesingel and Kerkweg. Rare tree species were planted in the park. In 1856, gatehouses were built at the Kerkweg entrances and Tolsduinerlaan.
In 1867, the Haarlem-Uitgeest railway divided Velserbeek. Frederik bought his brother Ernst’s share in 1871 becoming the sole owner. In 1907, he sold ‘s-Gravenlust to Velsen for town hall expansion. Later, he had to sell Velserbeek too.
In 1918, Alberts and Kluft bought Velserbeek. They planned to convert the manor house into a factory. The interior was stripped. The two manufacturers felled trees in the park for money. The municipality of Velsen bought the estate in response. The best part of the grounds became a public park.
In 1929, the first stone was laid for the Velserbeek villa park. In 1926, a bandstand was added to Velserbeek Park. Students from Velsen’s Ambachtschool constructed it. The manor house became a renowned hotel.
During the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, Uruguay’s football team stayed here. In the 1930s, the park and follies like the Jeneverhuisje were renovated. Leonard Springer, a garden architect, was involved. The orangery became a tea room. Tennis courts and a menagerie were added.
In 1939, the Parkweg separated Velserbeek from Velsen village. The manor house and park gained a new main entrance. The stable and coach house were demolished.
During World War II, the hotel housed soldiers. Later, it became a refuge for people fleeing to England. The Sadler’s Wells Ballet stayed here in May 1940. Margot Fonteyn was among them. In 1942, the hotel became the residence of NSB Mayor Tj. van der Weide. He had his route to Velsen-Zuid town hall protected with barbed wire.
In late 1944, Velserbeek was used for secret German operations. Seehund submarines were prepared here. After the war, the hotel didn’t return. The Dienst Gemeentewerken moved into the manor house. Later, an attorney’s office occupied the restored building. Today, Velserbeek stands as a testament to the layers of history. It is a place where nature and stories intertwine.