Wouw

The village of Wouw (municipality of Roosendaal) has a very rich history. The village's name, originating from Woide or Wouda, refers to its wooded surroundings. The first mention of Wouw dates back to the year 1232.
The centre of the village of Wouw is formed by the Markt. On the grassy square are two bluestone pumps from the 18th century bearing the coat of arms of Karel Theodoor Marquis of Bergen op Zoom. The late-gothic Lambertus church was restored after the Second World War and houses the Wouwse 'mannekes'. These are fine wooden statues from the former abbey of St Bernards on the Scheldt.
The church is first mentioned in 1277. Sint-Lambertus church took its current form at the end of the 15th century and is located on the Markt. There, two pumps from the eighteenth century recall the marquises of Bergen op Zoom. Just outside the village, to the northwest, an older castle was converted into a large moated castle (Waterstraat, along the Smallebeek) by the same lords at the end of the fifteenth century. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Wouw castle largely disappeared. At the site, the foundations are still recognisable and partly visible today.