Kerk, Maasdijk 69

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction

Neo-gothic hall church oriented at the foot of the Maasdijk, dating from 1857-1858 designed by P.J.H. Cuypers with a 15th-century church tower placed to the northwest alongside it, next to which stands a staircase tower. Cuypers adapted the old church tower in neo-gothic fashion, provided it with an additional division and a high spire in 1890. On the north side, between the nave and the dike, lies a private burial ground. On the south side, between the church and the St. Wilbertstraat running parallel to the dike, extends a spacious, enclosed churchyard. To the west of the church runs - along the churchyard, church and tower - a broad paved path to/from the dike. Here a masonry dike staircase with wrought-iron access gate is incorporated in the retaining wall with low breastwork which on the north side forms the boundary between the church grounds and the Maasdijk. On the east side the church grounds border the former parsonage (19th century, last quarter) built against the dike with adjoining parsonage garden.

Description

Single-aisle, soberly executed brick church dedicated to St. Willibrordus with surrounding masonry plinth and concluded with a narrow cornice in decorative brickwork, divided by buttresses and consisting of a nave of five bays and a narrower choir of two bays with 5/8 closure, the choir with higher eaves line than the nave. On the division of nave and choir a slender octagonal roof turret with slate spire and wrought-iron cross, likewise cross on the ridge end (east). On either side of the choir bay a small transverse outbuilding, the sacristy; other outbuildings consist of a confessional room and a heating room (north, commemorative stone with inscription: "foundation stone laid by P.A. Adriaans, 10-11-1962") and entrance portico with flight of steps (1963). The church has a slate-covered gabled roof, the brickwork is executed in Flemish bond with cut joints. Per bay of nave and choir one tall pointed arch window, those of the choir with stone tracery. The west gable executed as spout gable with projecting shoulders and divided by a large pointed arch window with moulded edges and sandstone tracery and small quatrefoil round window at the top. Projecting lower part, covered with a limestone moulding on which on either side a low pentagonal tower-shaped outbuilding with slate spire and light slit (organ loft). Furthermore some small lancet windows and pointed arch entrance section in which are incorporated oak doors with decorative wrought-iron fittings, limestone steps and likewise upper threshold, four limestone colonettes with foliate capital; the arched field is renewed in brick.

High square church tower with four divisions, diagonally placed, thrice notched buttresses and limestone drip mouldings; the two lower divisions with recognizable elements of the older predecessor. Entrance section on the west side with a pointed gable-shaped projection (with limestone cap, sandstone cross), oak door with decorative wrought-iron fittings in moulded pointed arch surround with sandstone tracery; footgrate and three limestone steps. In the east gable a pointed arch window with coloured glass, on the north side an inset gauge stone ("9 el 818 dm above NAP"). The second division with in each face a large blind window, the third with in each face two lancet-shaped louvres (one on the side of the staircase tower). At four sides of the eaves a wooden roof dormer with inswept slate hipped roof; high constricted tower spire, clad with slate, on the spire a copper ball with wrought-iron cross and copper weather vane. Between church and church tower stands an octagonal brick staircase tower with cornice of decorative brickwork and octagonal slate spire crowned with wrought-iron weather vane.

Internally the church is divided by wall piers with corbels against which limestone apostle figures are displayed plus figures of Willibrordus and Laurentius, the consoles executed as foliate capitals, the baldachins vanished. Per bay a large coloured stained glass pointed arch window, the pointed wooden barrel vault with transverse arches in the nave is decoratively painted. Triumphal arch between nave and choir with stone cross rib vaults: four-part over the choir bay and a radial vault over the closure. Decorative glazing in the nave and west gable and figurative in the closure (Annunciation, Nativity, Adoration). Neo-gothic church furnishings on black-and-white tiled floor in the nave - polychrome tiles on the floor of the elevated choir -, polychrome wall tiles (with motifs of passion flower and crown of thorns), fourteen inset gypsum Stations of the Cross (20th century), oak confessionals, in the baptistry with wrought-iron decorative railing stands a late-medieval limestone baptismal font with neo-gothic wooden cover; neo-gothic limestone (now whitewashed) altar with reliefs of Melchisedech and Abraham, richly decorated structure of tabernacle and crowning Calvary group, on either side of the exposition throne (with original painting) a niche with figures of Mary and Jesus. Reliquary case decorated with woodcarving in the north wall of the choir and door to the adjoining sacristy and heating room; wall niche in the south wall as well as door leading to the main sacristy in which iron safe and wooden wainscoting with cupboard. Various wooden figures in the choir: standing Madonna with Child, crown and sceptre (17th century, second half); Willibrord with church building (19th century, first quarter); Laurentius with attributes (ca. 1800); Anthony Abbot with attributes (16th century?); wooden cross with Arma Christi (19th century, third quarter). In the west bay a neo-gothic oak organ loft of which the central part rests on two carved pilasters with corbels, the fifteen, partly openwork carved, quatrefoil panels of the balustrade decorated with painted saint's head in medallion; the church organ (F.C. Smits, two manuals, 1846) is partly hidden behind a carved neo-gothic organ front and has tower consoles with late baroque carving. Under the organ front a fragment of a neo-gothic draught portico. Tower chapel in the staircase tower with oak door with decorative ironwork, wooden colonettes, pointed arch field and furthermore wainscoting with polychrome tilework, wooden Calvary group (ca. 1800), bell frame with carved initials and date 15-10-1837, three church bells (1947 1947 1949).

The grounds around the church are bounded at the Maasdijk by a hip-high brick breastwork (20th century, first quarter) on retaining wall, divided at regular intervals by pilasters, the plinth on the inside cemented; wrought-iron access gate between gate piers on the dike side of the tower, processional path along a private burial ground of the Van den Bergh family surrounded by wrought-iron railing; on the east side by an indifferent concrete wall (20th century) while the churchyard to the south of the church is bordered by the St. Wilbertstraat by a man-high red brick wall in Flemish bond, with tooth cornice and covered by a saddle roof, divided at regular intervals by small pyramids and pilasters (with accents of yellow stone at hip and breast height), the pilasters crowned by cemented octagonal tent roof shapes with a small pediment on four sides; this churchyard wall is a remnant of a much longer wall that entirely enclosed the church grounds and parsonage and extended to the dike; on the west side the churchyard is accessible via a wrought-iron two-leaf gate (with forged cross) between two masonry piers with limestone cap and (originally) two stones with inscription "HEDEN MIJ" (left, disappeared) and "MORGEN GIJ" (right, preserved); on this side the churchyard is further closed by a wrought-iron gate on masonry base. To the right of the main entrance stands an artificial stone Sacred Heart figure on masonry plinth with inscription: "Sacred Heart of Jesus bless the inhabitants of Demen and Dieden. Presented 1 June 1941 on the occasion of the 40-year priestly jubilee of pastor Simons."

Evaluation

The neo-gothic hall church dating from 1857 situated at the foot of the Maasdijk with 15th-century tower modified in 1890, enclosed churchyard with wall and gate work as well as the Sacred Heart figure beside the entrance and the private burial ground possess on the basis of the (composite) age, spatial, visual and functional relationships monument values that are considered to be of national importance. The church is an early and representative work by P.J.H. Cuypers and as such of general importance as a document in his extensive church-building oeuvre. Further architectural and church-historical values as well as stylistic ones consist of the building type, the building style, the integrity of principal form, structure and detailing as well as the historical qualities and completeness of interior and furnishings. The neo-gothic church building is of general cultural-historical value as an expression of the emancipation of the Roman Catholic church in the 19th century. The church tower represents remarkable building-historical importance because it exhibits an interesting modification phase, while further stylistic importance is also to be accorded to it. The markedly situated ensemble at the Maasdijk and in the centre of Demen embodies locational value as a structural component of the historical built environment, as well as on account of the still intact relationship with the enclosed churchyard and the adjoining former parsonage in which the commemorated building volumes and open spaces are of great perceptual and recognitional value for the village silhouette.