 It has its origins in the 13th century, and even though the whole town went up in flames in the late 16th century, it was rebuilt within a hundred years and significantly expanded over the course of the 20th century.Although signs of human settlement in the Zoeterwoude region were dated to as early as the 8th century in the vicinity of present-day Weipoort, a village on the current location of Zoeterwoude-Dorp was not constructed until about 1276 when the mire in the area was cultivated.A Catholic church from the earlier village dedicated to the English missionary Saint Lebuinus was rebuilt in what was then called "Zwieterwoude".