Zwartendijksterschans - Een-West

The Zwartendijksterschans is part of the Frisian Water Line. The entrenchment was used to stop the Spaniards and later also in the defence against Bommen Berend. The area around the entrenchment was flooded to make it as difficult as possible for the enemy. The entrenchment was built in 1593 and served until 1673.

During the Eighty Years' War, which began in 1568 and ended in 1648, the Spanish held much of our country. The inhabitants of Noordenveld tried to stop the advance of the Spaniards, from Groningen. The Spanish army leader Verdugo wants to conquer Friesland via Drenthe. At that time, the old road across the Zwartendijk entrenchment was the only connecting road between Drenthe and Friesland. So in 1593, an entrenchment was built on that dike, a military camp with ramparts, moats and bastions. Yet the Spaniards managed to pass the entrenchment unseen. Only in 1648 did they retreat.

In the Year of Disaster (1672), when the now rich Republic of the Seven Netherlands was regularly attacked by neighbouring countries, the entrenchment still came in handy. After 1673 it was no longer used. In 1980, the entrenchment was fully restored