Kapel(F1), Pastoor van Erpstraat bij 1

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.

The CONVENT CHAPEL with preceding convent spaces is oriented with the roof ridge direction parallel to Kloosterstraat. Three facades are freely positioned on the convent grounds which further contains a large ornamental garden, driveway and various paths. The southwestern side adjoins the convent complex on a (modified) double-courtyard plan. The convent chapel built in 1898 is an extension of the convent complex constructed in sections from around 1870. Architect J. Kayser from Maastricht designed the chapel in Neo-Gothic style. Contractor J. v.d. Weerden from Altfort (Gelderland) carried out the work.

In 1933 the locally renowned architect Ch. van Liempd built a new entrance portal at the northern transept arm. Over the years the chapel has been partially renovated internally; the black Namur stone on the floor is new, the furnishings and stained glass have been modernised. The stained-glass windows in the apse are by Pieter Wiegersma from 1984. The interior once polychromed by Cuypers from Roermond has been painted uniformly white.

Description.

A single-aisle cruciform chapel oriented to the northeast. Above the chapel a gabled roof that is half-hipped at the transept closures and runs around the apse. Nave and transepts covered with slate shingles, choir and apse with block slates. On the roof ridge various small chapels with flap shutters with (partly) decorative fittings under an attached, continuous half-hipped roof. On the ridge ends of the chapels and transepts a weathervane, on the ridge end of the choir a wrought-iron cross.

The building is constructed of brick laid in English bond (with cut joint) with the use of red profile stone around openings and in the plinth, and hard stone for the lekdorpels, cuts of buttresses and drip mouldings. The vault in the interior is of wood.

The possibly older connecting section between convent and chapel comprises two bays, the nave of the chapel five bays, the straight-closed transept arms one each, the choir likewise one bay with a 5/8 closure. In the angle between choir and transept on the southeastern side a sacristy on a rectangular plan under a lean-to roof; on the northwestern side a Maria chapel under a continuous gabled roof.

The facades with two-part elevation are vertically articulated by buttresses cut right up to the eaves. Recumbent guttering. In the connecting section under the eaves a row of dentils, diagonal toothing and crenellations above the buttress. In the chapel facades under the eaves and between the buttresses a continuous triple diagonal toothing with below it single or double dentil moulding.

In the connecting section per bay a tracieried pointed-arch window above a (on the southeastern side) wooden door with arched two-part fanlight and arched stained-glass window on the ground floor. On the northwestern side a refectory is built onto the ground floor. In the nave per bay two coupled lancet windows under a round window, all furnished with stained glass. In the transept arms a similar round window (on the northwestern side above the Lourdes grotto again with lancet windows), in the closings of the transepts which are fitted with right-angled buttresses and a truncated spout gable a remarkable seven-part window with climbing lancets crowned with two small lancet windows in the gable top, in the choir and choir closure per bay a lancet window, partly hidden behind and shortened by the presence of the sacristy and the Maria chapel. In the street facade of the sacristy (partly coupled and fitted with tie-rods) windows under a segment arch.

Internally in the connecting section between convent and chapel on the ground floor two rooms each one bay wide. The first room opens via an oak-wood double panelled door to an entrance vestibule, from which a similarly positioned door in line gives access to the nave of the actual chapel. On the upper floor one convent room with two stone cross-ribbed vaults on corbels with leaf capitals. This room, now in use as a small chapel and separated from the singers' tribune in the chapel by a (partly interposed) partition wall, is entirely white plastered and is closed off on the southwestern side by a monumental pointed-arch aperture with stained-glass windows set in style and regular work.

The chapel displays in material an alternation between (now white-painted) brick, plastering and a wooden vault, characteristic of the work of J. Kayser. The elevation is two-part, consisting of a solid wall surface or blind pointed-arch niche in the lower zone with light windows above. The facades are vertically articulated by slender corbels, crowned with half-capitals placed at the level of the base of the windows. Upon these rest blind pointed-arch niches drawn around the windows and corbels with corresponding half-capitals which in turn carry the girdle arches and ribs of the wooden cross-ribbed vault. Bay with bundled pilasters and stone girdle arches. The springing line of the vault panels does not lie in line with the wall surface but more inward. The vault panels are led to the wall surface via a continuous list supported by wooden consoles. In the angle between transept and choir on the north side the three-sided closed Maria chapel with white plastered cross-ribbed vault on two figurative corbels.

Of the furnishings the following components are worthy of mention: the high altar in the apse and the Maria altar (with icon) in the Maria chapel, made by Ch. van Liempd (Schijndel), Van de Meerendonk (Tilburg), sculptor J. Uiterwaal (Utrecht) and marble worker Visser; the ciborium around the main altar with four green-marble columns with figurative capitals supporting a roof frame with a coffered ceiling and continuous metal figure frieze by copper and bronzeworker Van Roosmalen; the Stations of the Cross in black and white glazed sectile tiles in the nave by Charles Eyck from 1936; lastly two wooden holy images.

Valuation.

The convent chapel with preceding convent spaces is of general importance. The object has cultural-historical value as a distinctive expression of the development of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity.

It has architectural-historical value by virtue of the aesthetic qualities of the detailing in particular of the transept arm closures, the vault and the furnishings and by virtue of the representative value of the work for the oeuvre of architect J. Kayser.

The object has ensemble values as part of a historically grown religious ensemble, further comprising the Lourdes grotto and the entire adjoining convent complex with gardens, which is of importance as the central mother convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Charity dispersed throughout the country. Furthermore it is significant as an image-defining component of a historically grown religious ensemble on Kloosterstraat and Van Erpstraat.