Martenastate (Martena estate) in Cornjum, Netherlands, is an ancestral estate first owned by the noble family Martena, also written as van Martena, or even Martna (i.e., Martena without an e).[1] This family belonged to the Dutch nobility (hoofdelingen). The building is now a museum.
The first mention of a stins at the Martenastate in Cornjum dates back to 1468, when the family Martena lived there.[2] The last male ancestor of the Martena line was Doecke van Martena, who died in 1605.[1]
After 1605, the Martenastate in Cornjum was owned and occupied by a succession of other noble families: the Aylva family, the Burmania family, and the Vegelin van Claerbergen family.
On December 28, 1894 the last owner-occupant of Martena State in Cornjum, jonkheer Duco Martena van Burmania Vegelin van Claerbergen, died. He left the state to the church of Cornjum.[1] In 1899, the house on the Martenastate was demolished, after which the present Martenastate was built, designed in neo-renaissance style by architect Pyter de Groot.[1]
There is a picture of the original Martenastate, Cornjum, in the Fries Museum (Leeuwarden), drawn by Jacobus Stellingwerf, dated 1722.