Kerk, Dr.Nuijensstraat 24

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

Netherlands Reformed CHURCH BUILDING, built in 1875 according to the design of architect A.T. van Wijngaarden. The church building stands on the south side of the Dr. Nuijensstraat, completely free on a plot approximately fifteen metres from the building line, separated from the road by a ditch and a cast-iron entrance gate. In 1974, some work was carried out on the church, including repair of the tower, paintwork, removal of the partition walls from the vestry.

Description

The single-aisle church with front tower is constructed on a square ground plan over four bays in red brick (in stretcher bond) with a gabled roof covered in blue Dutch tiles. The entrance is located in the short northwest gable in the projecting tower. Against the rear (SE) is a lower rectangular vestry. The nave has a cemented plinth all around. The front facade (NW) is dominated by the forward-placed tower in the central axis of the church. This tower is composed of two square storeys and a timber bell-cote. The lower contains the entrance with double door and a round-arched window above, together enclosed by a moulding. Bell-cote with bell by Claudy Fremy, 1684, diam. 93 cm. Mechanical tower clock by Van Bergen, 1875.

Two diagonally placed buttresses stand at the corners. The storey above with window and clock, which are likewise set in a surround, is terminated above the roof by a pronounced moulding. The timber bell-cote consists of an octagonal bell-cote with sounding openings in round arches and a spire, on which a weathervane and weathercock are mounted. The wall planes on either side of the tower show a blind window with the same tracery as the windows in the nave. On both corners the painted buttresses, which take up the broad roof cornice and end in a pyramidal decoration. The side facades (SW and NE) are identical. The four bays, divided by flat buttresses, each have a window divided by mullions into three parts and further filled with lozenge-shaped glazing bars with colourless glass. The rear (SE) of the single-aisle church space is straight-ended. At the top is a small rose window that lets light into the roof space. Against this is a low vestry built under a hipped roof, with door and windows.

The interior of the church opens up after the vestry of the entrance porch. This vestry across the full width of the church is enclosed on one side by the entrance and storage spaces and stair to the organ loft above the vestry, and on the other side by a wall that forms the division into the church space. The stucco ceiling with rosettes is supported by two large consoles richly ornamented with foliage motifs and two slender marbled Corinthian columns against the dividing wall. In both side walls, the windows come just below the gallery and thus illuminate the vestry. On the wooden floors in the church, the section around the pulpit of which is raised, green painted wooden benches are placed against the side walls and in the centre of the church, and a few rows of chairs. The walls are whitewashed. Against the northwestern wall is an organ with an elaborately worked case built in 1883 by H.L. Van Dam and Sons in Leeuwarden, set in the balustrade, which is composed of panels; this rests on the dividing wall, which is provided with a marbled cornice. Along the side walls a wainscoting was applied insofar as benches stand against it. The windows can be screened by curtains. Against the blind southeastern wall stands a hexagonal pulpit, towards the extension behind and next to it again hang psalm and hymn boards. The stucco ceiling, which is divided into large fields and contains four open-worked rosettes, has a depressed arch form. This does not span the entire space but is supported by large, flat consoles and is reinforced by tie rods. Two brass crowns hang in the space. The entrance gate is of cast iron and polychrome. In the gate are incorporated symbols of transience such as scythe, hourglass, inverted torch and butterfly.

Appreciation

The church with its associated entrance gate is of general interest from a cultural and architectural-historical perspective: as a rare authentic example of an eclectic church from the third quarter of the 19th century; due to the well-preserved main form with characteristic tower; because of the detailing of the vestry; because of the authentically preserved interior. The church has an important situational value.