Rolled

Rolde is a village in the municipality of Aa and Hunze, located on the Rolderrug. It is originally a strip village and also has various commons.

The name Rolde originated from Rotlo, later Roetlo. The last form gradually transformed through metathesis into Roelte, and was later changed to Rolde. The meaning could be: roetlo = 'red forest', compare Grolloo, but possibly also roetlo = 'cleared forest'.

Former Drenthe was divided into six dingspelen. Dingspelen are legal jurisdictions, the area in which certain decisions and/or judgments apply. The court in a dingspel is called 'etstoel'. The 24 members, 'gezworenen' or 'etten', were elected, four from each dingspel. The chairman was initially the bishop or his representative, later the 'drost'.

Rolde was once the main place of Drenthe and the Rolderdingspel. The impressive tower of the Gothic church indicates, as does the tower of Sleen (dingspel Zuidenveld), the significance of Rolde as the main place of the dingspel. Until 1688, the Etstoel, the highest court of Drenthe, convened here.

Justice was administered three times a year: in Balloo on the Monday after 'Beloken Pasen' (one week after Easter Monday), in Rolde on the Tuesday after Pentecost, and in Anloo on 'Sint Magnus day', which is August 19.
The sessions of the etstoel of Balloo and Rolde were, as far as known, always held in Rolde.

The former town hall with caretaker's residence was built in 1918 to the design of architect J. Neisingh from Assen in a traditionalist style. Since 1974, the municipality has a new home and it is used as a residence/office.

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