Scharwoude dyke warehouse
The Westfriese Omringdijk has been breached several times during its long existence. In case of such an event, it was useful to have the necessary materials and tools immediately at hand. That is why a water board had warehouses near the dike. We are standing here at the only warehouse of the former Drechterland water board that is still in place. It was built in 1923.
The warehouse at Scharwoude was the last one built by Drechterland. The first mention of warehouses dates back to 1676. Six were then set up in existing buildings. The reason for this was the double dike breach at the end of 1675 just south of Scharwoude, which flooded half of West Friesland. It was the last time the Omringdijk broke.
The number of warehouses was gradually expanded. Wood was an important material. The sea side of the dike was protected by meters-high seaweed packages. These were held in place with beams and poles. Each warehouse had axes and saws in stock for working the wood. In addition, there were tools to prevent a breach or to close a hole (wheelbarrows, shovels, sandbags). If the dike threatened to slide, sails were stretched across the weak spot. They were secured with anchors, ropes, and weights.
The warehouses were located outside the built-up area and were pitch dark at night. In other words, burglars knew where to find them. And if not, there was always a dike worker who would secretly take something. After all, everyone could use wood. For theft from a warehouse or of wood and stones from the dike itself, the dike reeve, the highest supervisor a water board, could demand banishment or even the death penalty. It usually didn't go that far, but the water board did have a gallows near the dike. It served mainly as a deterrent.
After the construction of the Afsluitdijk (1927-1932), the risk of a dike breach was greatly reduced. The warehouses were no longer needed and were sold or demolished. Only two remained: the warehouse in Scharwoude and one near Andijk, which has been on display in the outdoor section of the Zuiderzee Museum since 1980. The warehouse in Scharwoude is therefore the only one still standing in its original location. Around 1970, it was briefly used as a storage facility for road construction equipment. The large sliding door was installed specifically for this purpose.
Speaking of clearing away: the road surface of the Omringdijk is well maintained, but that was not always the case. For centuries, the dike was an unpaved clay path, too narrow to speak of a left and right side of the road. It was not until the nineteenth century that water boards began to pay serious attention to the passability of the dike. Rubble and shells were used to pave the road. Proper paving was virtually non-existent before 1900.