‘Crying brides’ (Dutch ‘huilende bruiden’) is the nickname for the large, stately gentleman farms of once-wealthy grain farmers in East Groningen (the Oldambt region) that have fallen, or are threatening to fall, into decay. They seem to “weep” for their lost glory.
Background
The farms were built during a time of prosperity for grain farmers:
- During the so-called Grain Republic (roughly 1870–1920), the heyday of grain growing in Groningen, farmers earned a great deal of money
- That wealth was shown in monumental, richly decorated farms with grand front houses, often in the style of the Oldambt farmhouse
- When grain prices fell and agriculture changed, the prosperity vanished and many of these buildings fell into disrepair
Significance and preservation
- They are landscape-defining and culturally and historically valuable buildings in the Groningen countryside
- Many are listed monuments; re-use (as housing, care or business) is often the way to preserve them
- Maintenance is costly because of their size and rich detailing
The term is not a construction element but a cultural-historical, popular name met in descriptions of Groningen heritage.
Related terms
- Farmhouse
- Oldambt farmhouse
- Re-use of buildings
- Monument
- Cultural-historical value
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