H. Gummarus

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.

To the southwest of the presbytery is the Roman Catholic PARISH CHURCH whose tower is situated somewhat behind the building line of Dorpsstraat. Church and presbytery are connected by means of several later extensions. On the left side of the church is the presbytery garden, on the right side a narrow entrance drive, closed off with an ornamental wrought-iron GATE, provides access to the cemetery situated to the southwest of the church. Under building pastor A.C. Mijnen the church was built in 1903-04 according to a design by architect P.J. van Genk in Neo-Gothic style. From 1983 to 1987 the church was restored.

Description.

Three-aisled, oriented to the southeast, cruciform church of the basilical type with tower and roof turret under gabled, lean-to and (continuous) tent roofs, covered with slates in Maas bond. Roof turret as well as ridge end of priest's choir crowned with wrought-iron cross, ridge ends of transepts with natural stone cross flowers. In the roof slopes various decorative roof dormers under abutting gabled roofs with cross-flower crowning on the ridge end. This is a brickwork structure with rich application of natural stone, consisting of a nave of seven bays with adjoining tower, a transept of one bay and a choir of three bays with 7/12 closure. The transept has on the choir side two shallow chapels under flat roofs (Mary Chapel and Barbara Chapel), in the angle of these chapels and the priest's choir lie two adjoining single-storey extensions under gabled roofs (sacristy and assistant sacristy) with ornamental vase crowning on the ridge end, and on either side of the tower lie two chapels closed on both sides towards Dorpsstraat (baptismal chapel and Anthony chapel) under continuous tent roof dormers, crowned with wrought-iron cross flowers. In the gable ends of the transepts slightly projecting confessionals under crockets.

The remarkably long, slender tower is 67 metres high and relates to the nave with choir as 1:1. The tower has four storeys with right-angled, tapering buttresses and a very slender spire with bent base. Particularly in the upper storey much brick diaper decoration. On the north side a pentagonal staircase turret with spire, likewise with bent base. The first storey has a main portal provided with archivolts on coupled columns and a double wooden entrance door with elegant wrought-iron fittings and a side portal. Both portals under crockets crowned with natural stone cross flowers. In the second storey a rose window as crowning of a window with two coupled lancets. In the third storey three horizontal rows of narrow niches running on three sides with natural stone detailing. The buttresses transition at the height of the bell storey into pilasters that enclose coupled and natural stone pointed-arch bell openings that are closed at the tops above the clock faces with overhanging crockets with cross flowers. Slightly overhanging corner turrets on which small spires with bent feet and crowned with wrought-iron cross flowers. Slender octagonal spire with in the roof slopes various decorative roof dormers and crowned with a gilded copper ball, a wrought-iron cross and a gilded copper weathervane.

With the rest of the church natural stone is applied less profusely and principally used as capping on gable ends, on buttress intersections, for drip stones, keystones and rose windows. In the clerestory of the nave are pointed-arch niches containing triplet windows, in the side aisles lancet windows, in the gable ends of the transept arms a pointed-arch niche containing a rose window as crowning of four coupled lancets, and in the priest's choir high-placed lancet windows. Internally the church shows in material an alternation between brick in fair-faced masonry, natural stone and plastered wall surfaces with (since the restoration of 1983-87) largely reconstructed polychromy whereby decorative stencil work, false joints and profile accentuation are applied profusely. In the various chapels moreover ornamental masonry and brick diaper in various coloured bricks, stencilled pseudo-drapery, polychrome cement tiles and ornamental wrought-iron railings. The three-part elevation in nave and transept is reinforced by natural stone horizontal bands, partly with floral chiselling. The clerestory triplets, the underlying blind triforium and the flattened wall arches rest on polished red marble columns with foliage capitals. Naves, transept and choir are vaulted with natural stone (cross-)rib vaults and wall arches, in the crossing resting on bundle piers and in the choir and side aisles on colonettes placed against flattened wall piers, partly with half-capitals. The Mary and Barbara Chapel are located in pointed-arch brick niches. In the choir beneath the high-placed lancet windows are shallow niches. Black-grey artificial stone floor tiles, in the choir renewed. On the tower side of the central nave three entrance doors under pointed arches with plastered arch fields and on the floor level a singers' gallery with wooden, decoratively carved balustrade. Various church doors on the inside finished with carpentry in herringbone motif. The church possesses a fairly complete and well-preserved Neo-Gothic interior and furnishings. Noteworthy are among others: polychrome and composed of various materials altars (former High Altar, Barbara altar, Mary altar) and communion rails (all by Jan Custers from Stratum, 1904); the St. Anthony altar (possibly J. Custers, circa 1900); the organ (P.J. Adema from Amsterdam, 1882); 13 figures painted on canvas in the niches of the priest's choir (Gebr. Windhausen from Roermond, 1908); painted Stations of the Cross (Gebr. Windhausen, 1910); a devotion altar of Our Lady (W. Kloosterman from Tilburg and J. de Wit from Hilversum, 1938); an octagonal baptismal font with hood and hoist (Rademaker from Geleen, 1907); a silver Ciborium (Esser from Weert, 1911); original confessionals and church benches with Gothic detailing (1904 and 1916); a large rood screen with Christ in mandorla (Braam from Made, 1910); a crucifix with wooden Christ figure (possibly 1844); various individual statues, including: St. Thérèse of Lisieux (plaster, 20th century), the Holy Family (wood, 1914), St. Joseph (wood, possibly workshop Stolzenberg at Roermond, 19th century), St. Gummarus (wood, Stolzenberg, 1889), St. Gerard Majella (wood, J. Custers, 1904), St. Francis (plaster, J. Custers, 20th century), a Sacred Heart figure (wood, Stolzenberg, 1874), the Virgin Mary (plaster), St. Anne with Mary (wood, 1914) and St. Elizabeth (plaster); the stained glass Mary windows in the north transept (H. Asperlagh from Voorburg, 1944) and the choir windows (H. Asperlagh, 1950-51) and a memorial stone in remembrance of the Second World War (B. Welten, 1947). On the right side of the church lies a narrow entrance drive that leads to the cemetery behind. The drive can be closed off with an ornamental wrought-iron GATE, consisting of two symmetrical wings in which balusters crowned with flame motifs and two bands with Gothic three- and four-foil patterns.

Valuation.

The church with the railings is of general importance. The object has cultural-historical values as a particular expression of the development and emancipation of Roman Catholicism in the early twentieth century with regard to purpose and appearance. Furthermore because of its importance for the typological development of village churches. The object has architectural-historical values. As a representative of a larger-format village church and as a late design by architect Van Genk, the church occupies an entirely unique position within his oeuvre. Furthermore because of the aesthetic qualities of the architectural design with processing of Early Gothic motifs, the refined use of materials and the very rich ornamentation particularly in the tower and the polychrome interior with furnishings. The object has ensemble values as an essential component of a historically developed religious ensemble on Dorpsstraat. As an image-defining and dominant object in an otherwise fairly open landscape, the church expresses the importance attached to the church in village society around the turn of the century. The object is important because of the integrity and completeness of both exterior and interior with furnishings and for that reason fairly rare.