Halsteren

History

The village was first mentioned in 1272 as Halstert, and means "bend in the highland with a tail". It developed on a westward pointing sandy ridge. The Dutch Reformed church was built in the 14th century. It was extended in 1457. After a fire in 1607, it was extensively restored. In 1799, it was returned to the Catholic church and restored several times. In 1961, it became a Dutch Reformed church again. The Catholic St. Quirinus Church was built between 1911 and 1912 and has a double tower. The former town hall dates from 1633. It was restored and extended in 1917. It was restored in 1944 after a fire. Halsteren was home to 538 people in 1840. Halsteren was a separate municipality until 1997, when it became a part of Bergen op Zoom. The village of Polder or Polre was located near Halsteren. It disappeared in a flood in 1570 and most of the village is still buried underneath a metre of mud.