Elkerzee

Elkerzee is a small hamlet on Schouwen-Duiveland with a history that stretches back centuries. It was once a thriving village with a church, school, and various shops. The first recorded mention of Elkerzee dates back to 1156 under the name Hildchereshe. Over the years, this name evolved through Elegarsee and Elcherzee to the present-day Elkerzee.

The village flourished for a long time as an independent community. The presence of a church, school, and shops indicates a lively village life. It was surrounded by fertile fields and meadows, characteristic of the island’s agricultural nature.

However, the North Sea Flood of 1953 brought significant changes. During that devastating night, Elkerzee’s church was severely damaged by the water. The damage was so extensive that restoration was no longer possible. Eventually, the church was demolished, and with it, a vital part of the village’s heart disappeared.

Despite the destruction, not everything was lost. In Elkerzee, the white corn mill De Lelie still stands, an iconic structure that recalls the village’s former vitality. This mill, which has existed since the 19th century, is one of the few remaining relics of old Elkerzee.

Today, Elkerzee is no longer a full-fledged village but a quiet hamlet that lives on in name and history. Walkers and cyclists traveling through the Zeeland landscape pass by this place without imagining the bustling activity of the past. Yet, Elkerzee still exudes a special atmosphere, silently bearing witness to a past that has not been forgotten.

Those who pass through Elkerzee discover a place filled with stories, rooted in the Zeeland clay. It is a village that may no longer exist as it once did, but whose memories remain vividly alive.