St. Agathakerk

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

Located on Kerkstraat, a R.C. CHURCH 'St. Agatha'. The church was built in 1889 in late neo-gothic style, designed by GERHARDUS TE RIELE, on the foundations of a predecessor built in 1868 which was destroyed by fire in 1888. The tower was largely spared during this fire and was incorporated into the new church. In the design, the influence of the counterpart of the renowned church builder P.J.H. Cuypers, the Utrecht architect Alfred Tepe who built especially in the style of the regional Lower Rhine gothic, is clearly discernible. With regard to the exterior, no noteworthy alterations have been made since the construction period. In the interior, the original painting was replaced in the thirties. Between 1930-1935, the painted stations of the cross and the paintings in the choir were applied by Jos ter Horn. The stained glass windows in the choir date from 1944 and were executed after a design by Max Weiss. In 1972, during restoration, part of the original neo-gothic, floral painting of the vaults was restored. The church, together with the nearby presbytery, modern cemetery, school and teacher's house, forms an extremely distinctive street view. All these buildings stand in direct visual relationship with the moated former castle grounds situated on the opposite side of the road. The church is positioned at a slight angle to Kerkstraat, in the axis of the driveway to the former castle grounds. To the right of the church building is a small square at the corner of Kerkstraat and Looweg.

Description

The CHURCH's longitudinal axis is oriented northwest-southeast with the priest's choir to the southeast. The portal side (NW) faces Kerkstraat. The church is connected to the presbytery on its northern side. The neo-gothic church is a pseudo-basilica, built on a rectangular ground plan with a 3-sided enclosed choir on the southeast side and a projecting square tower on the northwest side. In the angle between choir and side aisle, on both the north and south sides, is a low four-sided extension with a tapered spire. The church is constructed in brick. The brickwork is executed in English bond. A rendered plinth runs all around, finished with a hardstone band. Below the eaves of the nave, side aisles and tower are tooth mouldings. The nave has a gabled roof, the choir is closed with three sloping roof panels. Lean-to roofs cover the side aisles. The roof dormers are fitted with a small half-hipped roof. The roof surfaces are covered with slates in Maas bond.

The symmetrical FRONT FACADE has in the centre a tower built forward on an almost square ground plan. The facade surfaces on either side of the tower - each with a pointed arch window and the corner reinforced by a buttress - form the straight termination of the nave. The TOWER has four storeys. Buttresses are placed on the corners. The 8-sided tapered tower spire is crowned with an iron weathervane cross with ball and weather cock.

On the ground floor (first storey) is the entrance, consisting of a double wooden door with heavy hinges, under a plastered calf. The pointed arch fanlight is fitted with stained glass. Above this follows a storey with a pointed arch stained glass window with brick jambs and a storey with a smaller pointed arch window. In the fourth storey, on four sides are two coupled pointed arch sound holes with wooden sound boards, above which is a clock face.

The LEFT SIDE FACADE shows the six bays of the nave with on the left side (E) the choir bay and choir termination and on the right side (W) the built-out tower, against which a stair turret with 8-sided spire is placed on this side. The facade surface of the side aisle contains six pointed arch windows fitted with stained glass with brick jambs. Buttresses are placed between the windows and at the corners. The nave rises slightly above the side aisle with a low, blank aisle.

The REAR FACADE is formed by the built-out priest's choir, consisting of a choir bay with 3-sided choir termination. The blank facade surfaces on either side of the choir form the straight termination of the side aisles. The facade surfaces of both the side aisles and the choir are reinforced at the corners by buttresses. In the choir are five tall, pointed arch windows with brick jambs. The choir windows are fitted with colourful figurative stained glass. Against the choir bay is a sacristy built out on both the north and south sides.

The RIGHT SIDE FACADE shows the six bays of the nave with on the left side (W) the built-out tower and on the right side (E) the choir bay and choir termination. The facade surface of the side aisle contains, like the left side facade, six pointed arch windows, fitted with stained glass, with brick jambs. Buttresses are placed at the corners and between the windows. The nave rises slightly above the side aisle with a low, blank aisle. The interior space of the church consists of a nave without a clerestory; narrow, lower side aisles and a choir.

The INTERIOR is entirely plastered and painted in light Bentheim tones and still possesses various valuable preserved interior components. The cross-rib vaults of the nave and side aisles are painted with floral motifs. The choir vault has, in addition to the floral painting, images of musicking angels. The original neo-gothic interior painting was replaced in the thirties in a style characteristic of that period, which partly (in the choir) shows affinity with work by artists such as Jan Toorop and Willem van Konijnenburg. The paintings in the choir are by painter/glazier Jos ten Horn, who also painted the stations of the cross in the side aisles during the period 1930-1935. In 1944 the stained glass windows in the choir were installed after a design by glazier Max Weiss. These windows, with testamental representations, show a strong resemblance to the work of Joep Nicolas, whose studio Max Weiss had taken over in 1939. Further preserved in the church are, among other things, the tile floors which are composed of black and ochre-coloured tiles, laid in decorative patterns. Also preserved are the church pews executed in the manner of Neo-Gothic. In the tower a structural steel bell frame with three bells by Eijsbouts-Lips, 1948, diameter respectively 96 cm, 86 cm and 76 cm. Also in the tower a mechanical tower clock with automatic winding.

Valuation

R.C. CHURCH 'St. Agatha' built in 1889 in late neo-gothic style after a design by Gerhardus te Riele.

Architectural-historical values: - The church forms a good and relatively well-preserved example of a late nineteenth-century neo-gothic R.C. village church which stands out for the high-quality aesthetic qualities of its design. The church has fine proportions and special detailing in design and use of materials. In the interior, alongside various interior elements dating from the construction period, different later added elements such as wall paintings and a stations of the cross by painter Jos ter Horn are of importance. - The church is also important for the oeuvre of architect Gerhardus te Riele, who worked especially in Gelderland and Overijssel. The St. Agatha church is one of the best-preserved village churches designed by him.

Urban-planning values: - The church is important because of its situation in conjunction with presbytery, school, teacher's house and the former castle grounds, by which the characteristic, historically developed village image of Harreveld has been preserved. The church has also been important for the development of the village of Harreveld.

Cultural-historical values: - The church is important as an expression of the emancipation of Catholics in the second half of the nineteenth century in the Achterhoek in which the Lichtenvoorde-Groenlo area forms a Catholic enclave.