Dorpskerk, Spijkenisse

In the heart of Spijkenisse, a charming town in the Netherlands, stands the Dorpskerk, a testament to the town's rich history and architectural heritage. This late-Gothic cross-shaped church, completed in 1521, is the oldest building in Spijkenisse and continues to serve as a place of worship and community gatherings.

The Exterior of Dorpskerk

The Dorpskerk is situated on a low mound, encircled by a quaint churchyard wall. The west side of the church features a leaning tower dating back to the 13th century. Each of the tower’s four sides boasts two tall, Gothic-style belfry openings, and a clock face. Atop the spire stands a weather vane shaped like a rooster. While the tower is owned by the municipality of Nissewaard, the rest of the church building belongs to the Reformed Church of Spijkenisse.

The eastern end of the church is adorned with a choir that concludes in a five-sided apse. The elongated north and south sides each include a transept and a Gothic doorway framed in profiled natural stone. These doors, though rarely used today, bear marks believed to be from mothers scraping powder to make ointments for their sick children. Additionally, the north side features a 1969 extension known as the consistory room. Gothic windows grace the north, east, and south sides, and all roofs are covered with slate.

The Interior of Dorpskerk

Entering through the main door in the tower, visitors find themselves in a hall. To the right, a door leads to the stairs and upper floors. On the third floor of the tower, two church bells and a carillon can be found. The smallest bell, which is also the largest in the carillon, was installed in 1304. It bore the Latin inscription: Vivos voco - mortuos plango - m ccc iiii, meaning I call the living, I mourn the dead - 1304. This bell, a tribute from Lord Nicolaas III of Putten, unfortunately cracked in the mid-19th century and was sold in 1891.

The second and larger bell, cast by Utrecht master bell founder Steven Butendiic in 1481, has a diameter of 94 cm and a pitch of A1. This bell, the heaviest and lowest-sounding one, marks the half-hour, tolls during funerals, and calls worshippers to Sunday services. The inscription on the bell reads: o got wilt spikenes bescermen - alde rike mit den armen al die in de prochi horen - alde na werden geboren al(l)e doden hemelr(ij)c - mi(j) me(de) steven butendiïc - m cccclxxxï, which translates to: O God, protect Spijkenisse - all the rich and the poor, all who belong to the parish - and all who are born thereafter, all the dead in the kingdom of heaven - also me, Steven Butendiic - 1481.

During the extensive restoration in 1933-1934, a second bell was added, made by Petit and Gebr. Edelbrock/Eijsbouts in 1933. Both bells were removed by the Germans in June 1943 to be melted down for ammunition during World War II. However, ship captain J. van Dijk secretly sank his bell-laden ship near Urk instead of delivering them to Germany. The bells were recovered and returned in early 1946.

Since September 17, 1988, a carillon has hung in the tower, thanks to the Oud & Nieuw Spijkenisse Foundation, which aimed to beautify Spijkenisse's public spaces. Many locals and businesses contributed, donating bells or melodies. The carillon automatically plays different tunes every half and full hour during the day, and on Tuesdays, when there is a market near the church, a carillonneur plays the carillon.

The Church Space

Upon entering the church space through a vestibule, visitors are greeted by a wooden barrel-vaulted ceiling and white-plastered walls. Against the tower wall stands the 1970 church organ. The central nave features wooden church pews from 1933, flanked by walkways with gravestones from the 16th and 17th centuries. The side aisles also contain wooden pews. The northern aisle houses a gentlemen's bench at the back and a row of church council benches from 1618 at the front. The pulpit, also from 1618, was acquired after the Reformation, as such furnishings were not present in Catholic churches but were needed in Protestant ones. In 1737, the pulpit received a brass lectern, and the baptismal gate dates from the 19th century. The stone baptismal font is from 1969.

The Repelaer Family in Dorpskerk

In 1768, Margareta Backus (1747-1783) became the lady of Spijkenisse and the Braband polder (the area south of Nieuwstraat, up to Hekelingen and Vriesland). She married Pieter Pompe(j)us Repelaer in 1769. To commemorate their marriage, their coat of arms was placed above the gentlemen's bench in the Dorpskerk. Nearly a century later, in 1857, Maria Jacoba Repelaer (1802-1862) donated the silver communion set and baptismal bowl with a brass foot. An inscription on the large bowl indicates she was the lady of Puttershoek and Spijkenisse. In 1860, the first organ, a Bätz-Witte organ, was inaugurated. An inscription on the largest pipe read: .... donated by the Honorable Mrs. MARIA JACOBA REPELAER .... This organ was replaced by one from the Witte firm in 1970.

The History of Dorpskerk

It is believed that in the 13th century, a mound with a wooden chapel stood on the current site of the Dorpskerk. This simple rectangular hall was likely covered with a roof of square wooden shingles or thatch, similar to the houses of that time.

Construction of the Tower

In the 13th century, construction of a tower began near the west wall of the chapel. For the foundation, a series of wooden barrels without bottoms were buried in the ground and filled with piles and logs. A heavy oak framework was then placed on top, followed by thick brick walls. By the early 14th century, the tower was ready to house a bell.

Construction of the Church

As the population of Spijkenisse grew, the town was designated an independent parish in the mid-15th century, necessitating a proper parish church. Construction began with the priest's choir (facing east) with high windows, followed by the transept (north-south) at right angles to it. The church's ground plan forms the east-west oriented cross of Christ. The choir with high windows symbolizes the triumphant Church in heaven, while the transept, with a small window in the north wall (where the devil was thought to reside) and a large window in the south, represents the suffering Church. The later-built nave symbolizes Noah's Ark. The nave, slightly skewed between the tower and the transept, possibly symbolizes the leaning Body of Christ or the fact that the choir was not built straight on the tower. Due to a lack of funds, a cheaper single-aisle nave was built instead of the originally planned three aisles. The church was completed in 1521 and was festively inaugurated.

Restorations and Renovations

When the Watergeuzen (Sea Beggars) appeared in 1572, the people of Spijkenisse buried an altar bell and a chalice under the church's choir, likely out of fear of plundering. These items were only rediscovered during the 1933 restoration. Spijkenisse subsequently converted to Protestantism, with the first Reformed service held in 1574. The Protestant service required different church furnishings than the Catholic one, leading to the removal of the altar. The choir was then used as a consistory room and storage space.

After the French period, the church roof was found to be severely leaking. With the separation of Church and State, the church wardens did not have enough funds to replace the roof. As a temporary solution, a new ceiling was installed under the barrel vault during the 1847 restoration. Teacher Plokker from Brielle considered this restoration an internal improvement.

In 1905, the exterior walls were repaired (including the restoration of joints and buttresses), as well as the roof boarding and slate covering. The government granted a subsidy of 500 guilders for this work.

By 1933-1934, the church building was almost a ruin. A thorough restoration was carried out, coinciding with the restoration of the tower, owned by the civil municipality. With significant support from the community, the church was restored to its former glory.

Today, the Dorpskerk in Spijkenisse stands as a beautiful and historical landmark, offering visitors a glimpse into the town’s rich past and architectural splendor.