Midbeemster, De Rijp, Stompetoren

Who was Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater and why was an entire region named after him? You will find out when you hop on your bike and explore the Land of Leeghwater.

The Land of Leeghwater covers the area between Alkmaar and Purmerend and between Graftdijk and Stompetoren. It is named after Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater, the Dutch millwright and hydraulic engineer who was born in De Rijp in 1575 and who is credited with playing an important role in the reclamation of the area.

De Rijp, Graft and Schermerhorn used to be located on Schermereiland, between the Schermer, Beemster and Starnmeer lakes. In the Golden Age, a group of wealthy merchants, who owed their wealth to the East Indian trade and stock trading, decided to look for domestic investments. Draining the lakes around the Schermer island proved lucrative. The first land reclamation projects were particularly profitable, partly due to tax exemptions and the fertile clay soil that resulted.

In 1612, the Beemster was the first to be reclaimed, after no less than five years of drainage. The Schermer in 1635 and the Starnmeer or Stermeer in 1643. In total, the reclamation projects yielded more than 20,000 hectares of new land, which radically changed the character of the region. For example, De Rijp was once a thriving centre of whaling, with a direct connection to open water. Due to the reclamation, that strategic location disappeared and the economic focus shifted to agriculture. Today, vast meadows, dairy farms and the agricultural sector dominate the landscape.

I can hear you thinking, ‘What role did Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater play in this story?’ That is precisely the question. What is certain is that he was a skilled miller and a good craftsman who was not afraid to speak his mind. He was born in De Rijp in 1575 and died in Amsterdam in 1650. He was, as his name suggests, the son of carpenter Adriaan Symonszoon. He claimed to have had overall supervision of the polder mills used to drain the Beemster, Heerhugowaard, Purmer, Schermer, Starnmeer, Wormer and Haarlemmermeer. And he is said to have provided advice on the draining of swamps in France, Germany and England. In 1641 he published his Haarlemmer-meerboeck, a plea for draining.

But how great was his actual influence? Although he called himself an ‘engineer’, that was not an official title in his time as it is today. He probably meant that he was an inventive and ingenious craftsman. Many inventions attributed to him – such as the octagonal windmill and the water-gate bell – were already known before his birth. Furthermore, the only source that mentions his managerial role in the reclamation projects and his involvement in the construction of the town hall, the weigh house and the old lock in De Rijp is his own publication.

Yet the man has managed to enter the history books. His name is inextricably linked to the large reclamation projects in North Holland. Today, a region is named after him, as well as several pumping stations, streets and squares throughout the Netherlands, as well as a school and a study association. And in 2025, the 450th anniversary of his birth will be celebrated with numerous activities and events in the Land of Leeghwater. That is, no matter how you look at it, an ingenious achievement.


Engraving of Leeghwater: National Archives

This premium cycle route was compiled by our editor Désirée van Uffelen.