Nering Bögel’s connection to Vuurtoren ’t Lage Licht in Westkapelle

10 July 2026

On 10 July 2026, it will be exactly 150 years since Vuurtoren ’t Lage Licht in Westkapelle was first lit. This distinctive cast-iron lighthouse, also known as Noorderhoofd or the IJzeren Torentje, has been an important landmark on the Zeeland coast for a century and a half. For Nering Bögel, this anniversary is particularly special. The lighthouse was built in 1875–1876 to a design by Quirinus Harder and was produced by the Nering Bögel foundry. As such, ’t Lage Licht is a tangible example of the craftsmanship with which Nering Bögel contributed to Dutch maritime infrastructure in the 19th century.

Since 2025, Nering Bögel has been part of De Hoop Terneuzen. This gives the historic project renewed relevance today: it shows how Nering Bögel’s technical heritage lives on within an organisation active in construction, infrastructure and water management.

A beacon for shipping

In the second half of the 19th century, shipping traffic on the Western Scheldt towards Antwerp increased significantly. As there was still limited coastal lighting along the Western Scheldt, a plan was developed for an extensive system of new lights. ’t Lage Licht in Westkapelle was one of the last lighthouses in that series. Together with the Hoge Licht, the tower forms a leading light for vessels approaching the Oostgat from a north-westerly direction.

Cast iron as an advanced construction technique

’t Lage Licht is special because the tower was not built of brick, but of cast iron. The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands describes the structure as a round, conical, cast-iron lighthouse. The national monuments register lists Nering Bögel as the foundry responsible for its execution.

At the time, building in cast iron was a modern industrial technique. The tower demonstrates how prefabrication, metalworking and precise assembly were already being used in the 19th century to create durable infrastructure. The result is a robust structure that, 150 years later, remains a recognisable feature on the sea dyke at Westkapelle.

Nering Bögel: historic craftsmanship, contemporary relevance

Nering Bögel is one of the oldest industrial companies in the Netherlands and today specialises in water management solutions. The company develops products and systems for collecting, directing, buffering and draining water, among other applications.

The construction of Vuurtoren ’t Lage Licht fits within this long tradition of working on water, infrastructure and safety. Whereas Nering Bögel contributed to a safer shipping route along the Zeeland coast in the 19th century, today the company focuses on solutions for a clean and dry Netherlands. Within De Hoop Terneuzen, this history gains a new context. The acquisition in 2025 connects Nering Bögel’s industrial heritage with De Hoop Terneuzen’s broader activities in civil engineering, road construction and hydraulic engineering.

A national monument and living heritage

Vuurtoren ’t Lage Licht was registered as a national monument on 12 May 1982. During the Second World War, the tower was painted in camouflage colours and formed part of the Atlantic Wall. In 1959, the lighthouse was given the white band that still defines its current appearance. The anniversary year of 2026 is therefore a fitting moment to reflect on a remarkable structure on the Zeeland coast. Not only as a beacon for shipping, but also as visible proof of Nering Bögel’s craftsmanship: a name that has been connected to De Hoop Terneuzen since 2025 and whose history still quite literally stands tall in Westkapelle.