Grote of St. Jeroenskerk en Hof van Holland

The Sint-Jeroenskerk is a Roman Catholic church in Noordwijk with a history dating back to the year 851. According to tradition, Sint-Jeroen founded a church dedicated to Sint-Maarten in Noordwijk in that year. He is said to have been killed and beheaded by the Vikings in 856. A hundred years later, his body was found and taken to Egmond Abbey. This church was built at the place where his body was found. The Hof van Holland, the oldest hotel-restaurant in Noordwijk, is located at No. 79. The name refers to previous use of the property. A few centuries ago, almost the entire village, including the land around it, was owned by one man: the Craftsman of Noordwijk. In his service, the bailiff maintained law and order in the village. This bailiff spoke as a kind of private judge in the Court of Holland. After the arrival of the French in 1795, this form of private jurisdiction was abolished. The jurisdiction was moved to the independent subdistrict court, a few houses away.