Building: Asingapoort
A "heerd" is the name used for a farm in Groningen.
Actually, it originally meant 'hearth' but over the course
of time it became a synonym for the building, side buildings
and lands making up a farm. The first part of the name is
usually taken from the family name of the first occupants.
There was a family named Asego in Middelstum in 1323 and the
name Eppo Asagama was known there in 1371. The 'Asingaheerd'
in Middelstum, one of the three noble "heerden",
is possibly named after the Asego family previously mentioned.
A house was built in the 16th century by Hercules van
Ewsum on an apple orchard behind the church. This house was
built in the area of the Asingaheerd. The house remained in
the possession of the family van Ewsum up to 1596 and then
it came into the possession of the family Veelcker. Some years
later Asinga came into the possession of Everardus Everardi
ab Emda (d' Emda). He was Council Lord of Groningen up to
1594 and was known to be very rich. He married Albertien Veelcker
in 1587. They built the Gate House, which is still standing
today, in 1611, evidenced from the family weapons and the
date sculptered into the outerwall. They had remained catholic
and the building also served as a 'hide church'. During restoration
proofs of the exercising of the catholic religion were discovered.
(source: www.rna-project.org). A 'hide church' (in fact 'house
church') was a church, or meeting place, used at the time
of the Republic of the United Netherlands, which was not recognizable
as a church from the outside .
The castle of Asingaborg was demolished in 1744 - only
the Gate House and a barn was preserved. Today the Gate House
is nicely restored.
