This southern-most village with its striking church came about after 1398, after the settlement of De Oude Hoorn was burnt by the Hoeksen during the Hoek and Kabeljauw Disputes. The current village came about on one of the boulder clay emergences, 't Klif, and was situated on the coast on the south-eastern side. In those days, the population lived off agriculture, cattle breeding and, to an important extent, fishing. The 'dune farmers' sheep grazed in the vast areas of dunes around the village. When more land was impoldered, agriculture and cattle breeding became more important.
The Reformed church, the famous little white church, was built at the beginning of the 15th century on the location of a wooden chapel, which had been demolished in 1409. The church was completed in 1425, and was fitted with a tower 25 years later. Later, this tower also served as a beacon; to this day, the tower is fitted with three lamps for shipping traffic.
