Oud-Beets (Frisian: Âld Beets) is a ward of the village of Beetsterzwaag,
in Opsterland municipality in Fryslân province. Until 1925 it was a separate village; it merged with Beetsterzwaag; after
WWII most of the old village area became part of the village Nij Beets;
one street remains.
Oud-Beets coat of arms: wavy divided a. in gold three green diagonal stripes;
b. in red a bell with two fleurs-de-lis, all yellow.
Flag: left diagonally divided four stripes of red, yellow, green and
yellow, of which the first reaches from the hoist bottom to 2/3 flag length, the other have a width of 1/3 flag height; in red a yellow
fleur-de-lis.
Beets was one of the oldest villages of Opsterland, and the most important,
because the "grietman" (mayor) lived there. Moreover it was the seat of
the very old deaconate of Bornego. On the old churchyard are the graves
of many important people, like the Lycklama's, the Van Eijsinga's and the
Van Harinxsma's and the tombes of the Van Lyndens.
In 1925 Beets and Beetsterzwaag became one village, but the Âld-Beetsters
still feel enough pride to want their own coat of arms and flag. On the Schotanus-map
of Beets (1718) one can see that the land-use of the fields around the
village was mainly rye-cultivation and meadows. This situation is
reflected in the top of the coat of arms: yellow for rye and green for meadows.
At present all is meadow, apart from a few acres of maize. The north-south
direction of the fields is reflected by the diagonal
division. The name "Beets" was originally "Beke" = brook. This brook
was the "Ouddiep" or "Koningsdiep". The wavy dividing line represents that.
The color red was the color of the old "grietmannen" Fockens, Lycklama,
and VanLynden, who had mainly red and gold on their arms. The oldest remaining
memories are the bells of the beautiful monumental church, which has disappeared
(the church, that is). The old bells from 1482 and 1520 were damaged by
a fire in 1967. When the church and spire were demolished in 1985 the bells
were transported to the regional museum in Gorredijk, where one can admire
them at the entrance. One of them has been put on the shield base. A new
bell has been put in a bell-cage on the old churchyard. The two fleurs-de-lis
remind of the Lycklama's, who had this in their arms, and of the yellow
flags, which grew on the ditch banks around Beets.
The flag is a simplification of the coat of arms. The fleur-de-lis is placed
in the canton, to symbolize the old importance of the village: in the castle
Walrich the grietman lived.
Design: Jelle Terluin
Source: De Woudklank (local newspaper), 9 Mar 2000 Genealogysk Jierboekje 2000.
Jarig Bakker, 14 Sep 2003
![[Oud-Beets villagewardflag]](../images/n/nl-fr1ob.gif)
image
by Jarig Bakker, 14 Sep 2003
![[Oud-Beets Coat of Arms]](../images/n/nl-fr)ob.jpg)
from De Woudklank (local newspaper), 9 Mar 2000 .
