In an old school atlas (Beekman & Schuiling, 1927), I found to my astonishment that there used to be
an enclave of the province of Drenthe in the province of Overijssel. It is a little part on the
southern shore of the Meppelerdiep canal, and is called Dingstede. It apparently used to be part of
Meppel municipality (Drenthe). Nowadays it is definitely part of Staphorst municipality
(Overijssel). On a 1:25k topo map, I can see a farm called Dingstede (near the hamlet of Hamingen).

Looking for clues, I found the following on the internet: from 1291 to1437, a high clergyman of the
bishopric of Utrecht (or even, according to another source, the bishop himself) visited the spot
every four years and set up a court of justice. The word Dingstede means 'place of a court of
justice'. Also the church taxes from Drenthe were gathered here twice a year to be shipped to
Utrecht. At http://www.wanneperveen.net/historie/ontstaan.html , you can see an old map (17th or
18th century, I suspect), with the spot, called here Dingste, as a little island in between
Helselinge and Baerle. Helselinge I can't find on a modern map, but Baerle is nowadays called
Baarlo. On this map, Dingstede doesn't appear as an enclave, but I think this is a mistake.

Does anyone know when the enclave was abolished, and why? It is a pity, with such an ancient history
to it, I think.

The scan is of the 1927 atlas. Meppel is in Drenthe (top right part of the scan). The rest is
Overijssel.

Peter S.