Hervormde Kerk
Oude-Tonge, NL
The church building is a late Gothic church, built in the 15th century. In a deed of approval dated 8 November 1499, the Bishop of Utrecht, Frederik van Baden, confirmed the foundation of the church by the Ambachtsheren. The oldest part of the current church is the choir with the sacristy, the current consistory or church council room. There must have been a cruciform church dedicated to Mary here as early as around 1468. In the choir there is still a gravestone from 1492 of one of the dike builders of Grijsoord, the polder in which the village of Oude Tonge is located. The main nave therefore dates from 1499. Shortly afterwards, in the first half of the 16th century, a major renovation took place: the choir and the sacristy remained unchanged, but the existing nave was enlarged in a westerly direction, with a tower being partially built in and extended with a north nave. In 1742, a portal was built on the south side of the main nave, with a facade stone above the entrance stating the year of construction. By order of the French occupiers, the tower was robbed of its crowning (an onion-shaped spire) in 1812. The resulting tower slab was used as a telegraph facility. Later, the municipality placed a small bell tower on top, with another “onion” with a spire on top. Various 'modernisations' of the church building resulted in little remaining of the original condition. In 1831, the 'church interior was attractively embellished', and the floor was also restored. Church services were then temporarily held in the choir. Later, the floor of the choir was also 'renewed with blue bricks'. Another very drastic renovation took place in 1854, when a church council floor was constructed in the choir. (Source: Website church community )