Kats
Encyclopedia
Kats is a town in the Dutch
province of Zeeland
. It is a part of the municipality of Noord-Beveland
, and lies about 20 km east of Middelburg
.
In 2001, the town of Kats had 286 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.072 km², and contained 162 residences.
The statistical area "Kats", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 430.
Kats originally prospered as Suburchdijke the name alluding to connections with the nearby city of Souburg. The local inhabitants are referred to locally as katsenaers and 150 of them were drowned in flooding caused by a great storm on 5 November 1530, which engulfed the whole island, then in 1532 the Elizabethflood swept away all the remaining buildings. Poldering Noord Beveland (the process the Dutch invented to reclaim land from the sea) didn’t start again until 1598 - the villages of Colijnsplaat
and Kats were both built on estates at right angles to each other.
The name “Kats” originates from the family van Kats/van Cats- a certain Caths was granted the deeds. Kats grew very slowly and was blighted by the plagues of 1603 to 1605 and 1650. By 1629 a windmill had been built and 30 years later in 1659 enough people were living there to establish a reformed church parish. The first minister was Johannes Jones, like other inhabitants of the time he was born in England. The name Jones hints at Welsh ancestry. In 1687 the present day church was built.
In 1922 the mill was demolished. In the thirties discussions were held about redrawing municipal boundaries and in 1941 Kats, Colijnsplaat
and Kortgene
were joined together as the municipality of Kortgene with its administrative centre in Kortgene, in recent years this has become the municipality of Noord Beverland, all administration being transferred to the new council building in Wissenkerke. Sections for the suspended road connecting the islands of the massive Neeltje Jans flood prevention scheme were built at Kats.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
province of Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
. It is a part of the municipality of Noord-Beveland
Noord-Beveland
Noord-Beveland is a municipality in the southwestern Netherlands and a former island, now part of the Walcheren-Zuid-Beveland-Noord-Beveland peninsula....
, and lies about 20 km east of Middelburg
Middelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
.
In 2001, the town of Kats had 286 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.072 km², and contained 162 residences.
The statistical area "Kats", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 430.
History
In the Middle agesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Kats originally prospered as Suburchdijke the name alluding to connections with the nearby city of Souburg. The local inhabitants are referred to locally as katsenaers and 150 of them were drowned in flooding caused by a great storm on 5 November 1530, which engulfed the whole island, then in 1532 the Elizabethflood swept away all the remaining buildings. Poldering Noord Beveland (the process the Dutch invented to reclaim land from the sea) didn’t start again until 1598 - the villages of Colijnsplaat
Colijnsplaat
Colijnsplaat is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Noord-Beveland, and lies about 20 km northeast of Middelburg.In 2001, the town of Colijnsplaat had 1563 inhabitants...
and Kats were both built on estates at right angles to each other.
The name “Kats” originates from the family van Kats/van Cats- a certain Caths was granted the deeds. Kats grew very slowly and was blighted by the plagues of 1603 to 1605 and 1650. By 1629 a windmill had been built and 30 years later in 1659 enough people were living there to establish a reformed church parish. The first minister was Johannes Jones, like other inhabitants of the time he was born in England. The name Jones hints at Welsh ancestry. In 1687 the present day church was built.
In 1922 the mill was demolished. In the thirties discussions were held about redrawing municipal boundaries and in 1941 Kats, Colijnsplaat
Colijnsplaat
Colijnsplaat is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Noord-Beveland, and lies about 20 km northeast of Middelburg.In 2001, the town of Colijnsplaat had 1563 inhabitants...
and Kortgene
Kortgene
Kortgene is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Noord-Beveland, and lies about 15 km northeast of Middelburg.Kortgene received city rights in 1431...
were joined together as the municipality of Kortgene with its administrative centre in Kortgene, in recent years this has become the municipality of Noord Beverland, all administration being transferred to the new council building in Wissenkerke. Sections for the suspended road connecting the islands of the massive Neeltje Jans flood prevention scheme were built at Kats.