Located on the Orange Route, the cozy narrow city of Sint Maartensdijk has had a bond with the Oranges for centuries. Queen Beatrix’s many titles include that of Lady of Sint-Maartensdijk. It is the same title as that of Anna van Buren, the first wife of William of Orange. About the bond between a Zeeland town and the house of Oranje-Nassau. The stately town hall, now renamed Logis hotel & restaurant Het Oude Raedthuys, still exudes the allure of its builder, Stadtholder Frederik Hendrik (1584-1647). The names of the rooms, like the streets of the town, bear the names of descendants of the Orange family.
Jacoba of Bavaria
One of the rooms of the Oude Raethuys bears the name Jacoba van Beieren. She married the high Zeeland nobleman Frank van Borssele in 1434. He belonged to the family that lived in the castle of Sint Maartensdijk. The manor of Sint Maartensdijk was governed from this castle. A lively trade flourished then. In 1491 the place received city rights, but no seat in the states of Zeeland. That’s why they called it a narrow city.
Orange room
We can find everything about this fascinating history in the Oranjekamer, which is located at the top of the tourist office building next to the Oude Raedthuys hotel & restaurant. There is a beautiful model of the Sint Maartensdijk castle. Due to the marriage of William of Orange to the wealthy Anna van Buren in 1551, the manor of Sint-Maartensdijk fell into the hands of the Oranje-Nassaus. As the only child, she owned the glory that was governed from the castle of the same name. When she died in 1558, her possessions went to the eldest son of William of Orange and her, Philips Willem. This made him lord of Sint Maartensdijk.
Market
The Market of present-day Sint Maartensdijk still exudes the atmosphere of times gone by. In the middle is the town hall, now the Oude Raedtuys, with its beautiful stepped gable and red shutters. In addition, the tourist office is located in one building with a period facade. In the foreground a rustic village pump. The oldest preserved city account from 1586/1587 mentions the city hall for the first time. The Eighty Years’ War with Spain was raging in the Netherlands at the time. Sint Maartensdijk, like Tholen, had to endure a lot. In 1590, the city council asked Maria van Nassau, a sister of Philip Willem van Nassau, for support in restoring their once so prosperous city. Sint Maartensdijk was so plundered, paralyzed and reduced.
Frederick Henry
The restoration took place in the 17th century during the reign of Prince Frederik Hendrik, the son of William of Orange and his fourth wife Louise de Coligny. The town hall was the property of the prince, but the city council was allowed to use it for judicial and administrative matters. Criminals were tried and imprisoned in the castle. Due to a lack of finances, the town hall became somewhat dilapidated. Due to the decline in agriculture, there was a lack of money for recovery. The tide only turned in 1960. Within the recovery plan for the 1952 flood, the town hall received 90% for its restoration. The buildings were returned to their original state.
Paintings by the House of Orange
The beautiful meeting room of the Oude Raedthuys features panels by Frank van Borssele and Jacoba van Beieren. Together with 15 paintings by the House of Orange, they decorated the walls of the town hall for years. The building therefore enjoyed national interest. Presumably all these panels, including one of an unknown lady, were transferred to the town hall of Sint-Maartensdijk during the demolition of the castle (1818). When Sint Maartensland became part of the municipality of Tholen (2007), the town hall lost its function. These paintings can now be seen in the new town hall of Tholen (2007).
Saint Martin
Sint-Maartensdijk owes its name to Saint Martinus, patron saint of many churches and towns. During the Reformation, iconoclasm swept through this Catholic church twice. The church account from 1571 mentions a large sum for the sager’s work when the church was smashed to pieces. The silver and jewels were brought to safety by the Prince of Orange in time. Under the beautiful organ is a men’s bench where prominent men used to sit. Although the House of Orange did visit the Heerlijkheid Sint-Maartensdijk, they hardly visited the place itself. They left the management of the manor to a steward or drost. One of them was Cornelis Liens, who is buried in the Sint Martinus Church.
Orange Route
As with so many places on the Orange Route, the name Oranje-Nassau is still closely linked to Sint-Maartensdijk. Many descendants of this family bore and bear the name Lord or Lady of Sint-Maartensdijk and Scherpenisse. The queen also bears this name. As evidenced by a scrapbook in the Oranjekamer, many members of the House of Orange-Nassau visited the narrow city. Sometimes with joy but also with grief. For example, Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik visited in 1924. In 1996, Queen Beatrix and her family celebrated Queen’s Day in Sint-Maartensdijk.