Arkens

Hamlet in Friesland, Netherlands

Arkens Erkens (West Frisian)
Hamlet
Old farmhouse in Arkens
53°11′36″N 5°33′11″E / 53.19341°N 5.55319°E / 53.19341; 5.55319
Country	Netherlands
Province	Friesland
Municipality	Waadhoeke
City	Franeker
Elevation ^[1]	0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Population ^[2]
• Total	c. 15
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode	8802
Area code	0517

Arkens (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɑr.kəns]; West Frisian: Erkens) is a hamlet in the Dutch municipality of Waadhoeke in the province of Friesland. It is located southwest of Schalsum and on the direct northeast side of Franeker, of which it is a part administratively.

The habitation consists of several farms on a road of the same name. Due to the expansions of Franeker, Arkens is located on the edge of the built-up area of Franeker, it is sometimes seen as part of that city itself. Near the hamlet is Arkens, an eponymous windmill which is currently located within the built-up area of Franeker – it was moved to there in 1972.^[3]

Arkens was mentioned as Erdenze in 1433. Possibly a spelling error as it is mentioned as Erckens in 1499. Such a shift in a short time is not really common. The place name is also said have derived from a compound of Arke, a personal name, and the suffix -ingi which developed into the Frisian -ens.^[4] In 1543 the place was mentioned as Arckens.^[5] Until 2018, Arkens belonged to the municipality of Franekeradeel.

References

^ "Postcodetool for 8802PR". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
^ "Arkens". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 October 2023.
^ Stichting De Fryske Mole (1995). Friese Molens (in Dutch). Leeuwarden: Friese Pers Boekerij bv. p. 169. ISBN 9033015226.
^ Van Berkel, Gerard; Samplonius, Kees (2018). Nederlandse plaatsnamen verklaard (in Dutch). Mijnbestseller.nl. ISBN 9789463679176.
^ Van der Meer, P.L.G.; Mol, J.A. (2013). De Beneficiaalboeken van Friesland, 1543. Leeuwarden: Fryske Akademy. ISBN 9789062739646.