Testerep

Testerep (also called Ter Streep ) is the name of the former island on the Belgian coast east of the mouth of the Yser. It is now merged completely in the mainland. At its former eastern end is the town of Ostend.

History

In the early Middle Ages Testerep was separated by a natural channel of the country. The island was first settled in the 7th and 8th centuries, it served primarily as sheep farming. The land belonged to the Count of Flanders, of the parts as a fief to the Abbey of St. Pieter in Ghent awarded.

The first center of the island was in Mariakerke, which is also the oldest church on the island. Since the 10th century, the creek or the Testerep was separated from the mainland protected by dikes. Since the 12th century, the area was dehydrated with locks and sluices and abgedeicht the channel at the eastern end. During this period the larger towns. The place names Ostend, West End and Middelkerke refer to the location on the former island.

Over time Testerep lost by the silting up of the channel completely the character of an island.