BOLSWARD, town, province of Friesland, Holland, 6m. W.N.W. of Sneek. Pop. (1930) 6,866. The town is mentioned in 725, when it was situated on the Middle sea. When this receded, a canal was cut to the Zuider Zee and in 1422 it was made a Hansa town. The mediaeval constitution of Bolsward was in some ways peculiar. The Jongema family had certain hereditary rights in the administration, defined in the charter of 1464; e.g., the head of the family sat for two years with the scabini and the third year with the councillors. An influential position was as signed in civic legislation and administration to the clergy. The Great Church of St. Martins (1446-66) contains some good carv ing. The so-called Small church dates from c. 128o, and is the remnant of a Franciscan convent. Bolsward also possesses a Renaissance town hall (1614-18) . It trades in agricultural pro duce, especially butter.