Ruins of old Enser church - Schokland

In the southernmost tip of the former island of Schokland lie the ruins of an old church. The oldest remains of Ens church date from the fourteenth century. As the church threatened to become too small, it was regularly altered and expanded. Over the centuries, a tower was added and eventually even a larger church was built around the small hall church.

The church originally had a flat roof on which a signal fire could be lit during fog and darkness as a beacon for the ships on the Suydersee. In 1618 it was decided to build a separate fire beacon; the outline of this beacon can be found a little further on.

The little church was still used as a place of worship until 1717, after which it was abandoned and used as a cemetery. The little church was demolished around 1820, the cemetery remained in use until the island was cleared in 1859. After a restoration of the ruin, the bones of the deceased Schoklanders were reburied in the heart of the church ruin.

Next to the ruins you will find an information column of Beleef Schokland. Here you will hear information about the island's history and the flora and fauna present when you turn the wheel on the column.