Birthplace of Admiral Tjerk Hiddes de Vries

Sexbierum is the birthplace of Admiral Tjerk Hiddes. This house on Alde Buorren is identified as the birthplace of Admiral Tjerk Hiddes de Vries.

Whether this house really was his birthplace is uncertain; given its stately appearance, this seems unlikely. Tjerk Hiddes came from a poor family. The house features a beautiful decorative stone depicting a merchant ship belonging to the Frisian Admiralty. His uncle did work on a ship like this, but Tjerk Hiddes did not. His uncle definitely owned this house, however. He bought it in 1678, a few years after Tjerk Hiddes’ death. Tjerk Hiddes died on his birthday while serving as an admiral during the Anglo-Dutch War.