Heilige Johannes de Doper
In 1630, a clandestine church was dedicated to John the Baptist behind three houses on the Hoge Gouwe. That church still exists, but after a major renovation in 1863 it was given its current facade. The church is rich in interior pieces and liturgical objects, some of which even date from before the Reformation. Lack of contact with the church in Rome led to new ideas emerging among Dutch Catholics. It led to the heated debate between the 'Jansenists' and the established church in 1723 to the split from the Old Catholic Church. Pastor I. Walvis (1653 - 1714) of this church is still known in Gouda as the writer of the first city history in 1713.