Sint-Annaland

History

The village was first mentioned in 1493 as Sint Annenlant, and is named after Saint Anne, the patron saint of Anna van Bourgondië who ordered the poldering of the land. Sint Annaland developed after the salt marshes of the Oudelandpolder were diked in 1476. In 1668, the Suzannapolder, named after the daughter of Constantijn Huygens, was reclaimed and a harbour was added to the village. The Dutch Reformed church was built in 1899 as a cruciform church and features a tower with a wooden lantern. It replaced the earlier church from 1494. Since 1899, there is a potato auction in Sint-Annaland. It is the only remaining potato auction of the Netherlands and functions as a Dutch auction where the buyers have to watch the clock and the potatoes are sold to whoever presses the button first. It is open for tourists on Wednesdays. Sint-Annaland was home to 1,792 people in 1840. The village was affected by the North Sea flood of 1953. In 1960, the old harbour was filled in and a new harbour was constructed to the north of the village.