Willemsoord is a large former naval base of the Royal Netherlands Navy in Den Helder. It is now connected to the city center of Den Helder, and focuses on entertainment and tourism.

Nieuwediep harbor: Origin of the naval base

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it became increasingly difficult for big ships to regularly sail to the Dutch cities on the Zuiderzee. Many ships therefore anchored in the Roadstead of Texel, where a lot of transloading was done by small ships that anchored safely in the Nieuwediep. The Nieuwediep was a stretch of deep water close to the coast near what would later become Den Helder, and was well protected by a shoal.

The importance of a safe base for the Dutch navy was stressed again by the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War. The Nieuwediep was an ideal location, but not deep enough for warships and East Indies ships. In August 1781 orders were given to deepen it. In order to achieve this, many dam were constructed, which guided the ebb flow through the Nieuwediep. This would also keep the Nieuwediep at depth.

In April 1783 the depth was enough for the first armed warships to anchor in the harbor. Works continued, and in 1783-1784 60-70 loaded ships wintered in Nieuwediep, safe from ice. In the winter of 1784-1785 there were 150 ships at Nieuwediep, among them heavy merchant men laying somewhat at the bottom of the harbor. In 1785-1786 the ships of the line wintered in Nieuwediep. Still, Nieuwediep was nothing more than a harbor. It lacked facilities like stores and repair shops, that would make it a real naval base.

Nieuwe Werk, the first naval base

The Nieuwe Werk

In 1792 a repair facility called 'Het Nieuwe Werk' was founded. It was also called the 'Kielplaats' (Dutch for careening place). It had a state of the art lock. Ships could get in at high tide, and be pulled on their side at low tide and remain so till careening was finished. This was a very sensitive project. Careening was one thing, it was often done in all kinds of places. The logical follow up would be a repair shop with stores, something that the cities on the Zuiderzee (incl. Amsterdam) vehemently opposed. Of course they feared that one thing would lead to another, first a naval base with facilities, and then commerce itself flowing to Nieuwediep.

After the Batavian Revolution the national interest somewhat prevailed over local interests. On 20 July 1795 the national committee for the navy ordered the construction of a house, three wooden storehouses, and a building suitable for a smithy. All were to be erected within the confines of the Nieuwe Werk. Note that particular interests still succeeded in limiting the buildings. However, while one can suppose that the Nieuwe Werk was delayed by local interests, the financial situation of the admiralties was dire enough to lead to inactivity.

There is a description of the Nieuwe Werk at the end of the eighteenth century. It noted the lock of the Nieuwe Werk, and that a moat ran through the terrain, enabling ships to moor against the quay of the facility they needed to visit. The initial floor plan of the Nieuwe Werk suggests bigger plans.

At the time the description refers to, a number of cranes was present to assist the ships, at the places they needed to visit. There was a storehouse for guns, warehouses for rigging, wood etc., the smithy was on an 'island'. The house for the master of the work was southeast of the lock. There were also some houses for the school teacher, the lock keeper, and some of the workers. Most of the time, there were about 9 staff, 20-40 carpenters, 6 smiths, and 10-20 stevedores. These were kind of 'locked up' in the Nieuwe Werk, because it could only be reached at ebb. At the Nieuwe Werk many small vessels like launches, jolly boats, and boats were built. This activity went against the basic interests of the Zuiderzee harbors, but it employed their workers when there was nothing to repair.

Batteries Also in 1792, some small field fortifications were made on the north side of the Nieuwediep. By 1793 there was a battery called Princes of Orange. It had 28 24-pounders and was situated on the Kaaphoofd, west of Den Helder. Between Den Helder and the Nieuwediep at the mouth of the Nieuwediep, there was a battery of 11 24-pounders called Erfprinses (later called 'Unie'). In 1793 there were also the guardship Prinses Louisa of 54 guns, the hulk Hyena with 20 18-pounders, and some gunboats.

The Anglo-Russian invasion In 1799 the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland led to the capture of Nieuwediep and the Nieuwe Werk on 29 August after both had been evacuated. By then the English found 95 guns and many supplies in the Nieuwe Werk. They also captured many ships: the ships of the line: Verwachting (66), Broederschap (55) and Hector (44); the frigates: Helder (32), Jollock (24), Minerva (24), Venus (24), Alarm (24) and the two-decks East Indies ships: Duifje (12), Expeditie (16), Constitutie (12), Schoone Antoinette (12), Unie (12) and four single-deck ships, all of them without crew. Seeing the Orange flags in Nieuwediep probably had a big influence on the Vlieter incident of 30 August. A Dutch fleet of eight ships of the line and four frigates, now separated from its base, mutinied and surrendered without firing a shot.

Den Helder gets fortified

The Dutch authorities now realized that a fleet could only be safe in Nieuwediep if it was also protected on the land side. Already in 1803 the old village of Den Helder was fortified. The tip of the Nieuwediep (including battery De Unie) was somewhat surrounded by walls, and field fortifications were erected to protect the other coastal batteries on the land side. The Nieuwe Werk also got some guns. This was not enough to protect the base against a serious attack, but funds were limited. The light fortifications did not protect against a siege, but they did protect against a raid. In 1807 king Louis Bonaparte visited the base and also saw the potential of the position. Meanwhile, operations continued in Nieuwediep. Warehouses were restored etc.

Continued operation of the Nieuwe Werk till 1822 From 1812 till 1815, a dyke was constructed on the western side of the Nieuwediep. It connected the Nieuwe Werk to the mouth of the Nieuwediep. When the independence of the Netherlands was re-established, the base of Nieuwediep continued as one of the national naval bases. This meant that the harbor and the 'Nieuwe Werk' continued in operation while the works on Willemsoord were in execution.

Meanwhile, activity at the Nieuwe Werk expanded. First small vessels were used to house the workers, but later the old ship of the line Zoutman became a barracks ship. 65 families were housed on the upper gun deck, while single workmen were housed on the lower decks. During its heyday the Nieuwe Werk would employ up to 700 men.

The Nieuwe Werk would continue in operation till about 1822. After Willemsoord was taken into use, the Nieuwe Werk was closed down. Part of the Nieuwe Werk was then changed to become Fort Oostoever.(when?) This was necessary, because of the land reclamation between the Nieuwe Werk and Fort Dirks Admiraal.

Rijkswerf Willemsoord

Napoleon visits Nieuwediep

In 1811 Napoleon Bonaparte visited Den Helder. He concurred with all previous authorities that Nieuwediep had great strategic potential as a base. The difference between him and previous authorities was that he could spend much more. He ordered Jan Blanken Jansz. to build the biggest naval base and maintenance shipyard of the Netherlands. This would later become Willemsoord. The total cost would be 6,000,000 francs for the fortifications, and the same cost for the base and part of the works in Hellevoetsluis. Fortifying the position was the easy part. In a few years a bunch of strong fortresses and fortifications was established centering on Den Helder.

While work on a new base at what would later become Willemsoord was started in 1811, daily operations continued at the Nieuwe Werk. Napoleon gave an impulse to the Nieuwe Werk when he decreed that all repairs that could be done at Lorient (a harbor that like Nieuwediep had a strong current and no dock) should also be done in Nieuwediep. That is ships should not be sent to Medemblik for such repairs. In 1812 the ships of the line Zoutman and Prince were repaired in Nieuwediep while the crew was lodged on board the old East Indies ship Constitution.

Siege of Den Helder In 1813 the fortifications of Den Helder were so powerful that the French were able to maintain themselves in Den Helder when the Dutch threw off the French yoke. It led to the Siege of Den Helder in November 1813. At the time the Dutch fleet in Den Helder, the so-called squadron of Texel consisted of; the ships of the line: Prince (80), Zoutman (80), De Ruyter (80), Evertsen (80) and Doggersbank; the frigates Meuse (44) and Ijssel (44) (both with French crews); the corvette Venus and the Brig Irene, as well as the French brig Iréne. In port and not ready were the ships of the line: Amsterdam (80), Brabant (76), Jean de Witt (68) and Rotterdam (68), and the frigates Aurora / Dageraad (32) and Maria Reijgersbergen (32). When the Bourbons were restored, the squadron of Texel came into Dutch hands again.

Willemsoord proper

The other part of Napoleon's orders encompassed the establishment of a much more serious naval base. Like Vlissingen and Hellevoetsluis the new base would have a wet dock and a dry dock. It would be situated right on the exit of the Nieuwediep, and design was ready in 1811. After the Netherlands regained their independence construction continued, and the new base got the name Willemsoord. The base was generally known as 'Rijkswerf Willemsoord'. What set her apart from the other shipyards designated as 'Rijkswerf' was that she was primarily a maintenance and equipment shipyard. Ships that were built at the 'Rijkswerf Amsterdam' would receive their masts, rigging, provisions etc. etc. in Willemsoord. Only a few very minor ships would be built in Willemsoord.

In 1822 the first buildings were ready: Dry Dock I, Wet Dock, Sea Sluice, Pump House (with steam engine) and Werfkanaal (Yard Canal).

A second wave of construction took place between 1857 and 1866. It comprised the construction of Dry Dock II and a new Pump Building.

In the first half of the 20th century the Workbench building, the Kettle factory, the shipmakers workplace, the rigging and sailmakers workshop, magazines and other workshops were built. In 1992 the navy was moving its last? shipyard activities to the Nieuwe Haven.

City Quarter Willemsoord

Willemsoord becomes a maritime attraction park Between 1992 and 1995 the municipality of Den Helder made the first concepts for future use of the Willemsoord terrains. The first idea was to make Willemsoord a museum. Later plans opted for a combination of housing, business, tourist attraction and water related recreational activities. This would be done while preserving the atmosphere and historic value of Willemsoord. In 1994 the masterplan 'The Netherlands Overseas' () was made that included a maritime theme park. Some aspects like the presence of 19th century ships, and maritime activities were realized. The plan also envisioned the creation of new buildings evoking (the trade relations with) other countries, an idea targeted at attracting more visitors. In fact the plan opted to build an enormous amount of houses on the terrain, especially around the docks. The national monument service opposed the projected houses around the docks, and the plan was dismissed.