Groenlo, The Netherlands

Groenlo (Low Saxon: Grolle, Old Dutch: Grol) is a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. Until 1 January 2005 Groenlo was an independent municipality and until 19 May 2006 Groenlo was the official name of the new municipality of Oost Gelre. On 1 January 2007, Groenlo and the hamlet of Zwolle had 10,062 inhabitants.
Groenlo was founded at the beginning of the seventh century, around 610, when the Saxons settled in the Achterhoek. The name Groenlo probably refers to a green loo, green forest, which was located nearby on higher ground. (Germanic: Grõni- "green" + lauha- "grove on high sandy ground"[1]). This is also an explanation for the old coat of arms of Groenlo: a green tree. In the course of time, various names can be found in books and on maps, such as "Groenlo", "Groenloo", "Groonlo", "Gronlo", "Grol". The name Groenlo has remained, while popularly known as "Grol", immortalized by Vondel in his poem about the conquest of Grol, has continued to live on. Groenlo was founded on the high side of the river Groenlose Slinge. On this side of the river there were several ash trees. A number of these names can still be found in present-day Groenlo, such as the Oosteresch and the Hartrijze. The north side of the Groenlose Slinge was a lower-lying area. For the rest, there were a number of swamps around Groenlo, most of which have been reclaimed over the centuries. The Saxons were not easily converted, so it took until the 9th century for Christianity to settle here. Ludgerus and companions from Münster are probably responsible for the Christianization. Around 809, the Groenlo church was created, with the first simple parish church dedicated to Saint Calixtus. From the mother church in Groenlo, which belonged to the Diocese of Münster, other churches were later founded in neighboring towns such as Eibergen, Borculo and Lichtenvoorde. Politically, Groenlo belonged to the county of Lohn. When the Lordship of Borculo separated from Lohn, Groenlo went to the Lords of Borculo.
Source: wiki

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