Street Names for Starrenburg III Announced
The Voorschoten City Council has approved seven new street names in the Starrenburg III neighborhood. The street names refer to the Van Voorschoten family, the noble family that lived in Voorschoten during the13th and14th centuries. This makes the Starrenburg III neighborhood the ideal place for street names that refer to Voorschoten’s history, particularly its medieval past.
The future Starrenburg III neighborhood is being developed on the site where the Van Voorschoten family held its estates in the Middle Ages, including Starrenburg Castle and the surrounding plots and lands. By naming the streets after the castle’s owners and residents, the new neighborhood’s identity and history are highlighted. Short captions will be placed on the street signs, explaining the historical sites and figures.
Knights of Voorschoten
The earliest known member of the Van Voorschoten family is Knight and Bailiff Gilles van Voorschoten (1215–1281). One of the streets in the new neighborhood is named after him. His sons, Knight Ogier and Knight Storm van Voorschoten, are also commemorated in street names. One of the courtyards will be called “Hof van Rikarde.” This is a reference to Rikarde van Holland, owner of the lands surrounding Starrenburg Castle. Another avenue will be named “Van Cralingenlaan.” This refers to brother and sister Gilles and Elburg van Cralingen, the great-grandchildren of Knight Ogier.
Historic Sites
Some streets are named after locations from Voorschoten’s medieval history. For example, “Het Koningsveld” refers to the various estates in the vicinity of Starrenburg Castle. The exception in the street plan of Starrenburg III is “Corbulo.” This street name refers to the Roman Corbulo Canal, a waterway dug in the year 50 that connected the mouths of the Meuse and the Rhine. A section of this canal is located within the neighborhood’s planning area. This presents an excellent opportunity to preserve the name Corbulo and keep the colorful history of the Starrenburg III neighborhood alive.
DNA of Voorschoten
The Local Heritage Platform (LEP) contributed ideas regarding the street names for Starrenburg III. The suggestions they put forward have been adopted and align well with the community’s desire to reflect the essence of Voorschoten in the new street names.