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Noordhoek (NB): St. Joseph (Dom P. Bellot & H.C. van de Leur, 1921-1923)

Until 1921 the small village of Noordhoek was divided in two parts, one of which belonged to the parish of Klundert, the other to the parish of Standdaarbuiten, with each church and school at a walking distance of at least an hour. That year the chaplain of Ginneken was given the task of founding a new parish and finding the money to build a church and a school. The task to design the new church, presbytery and school was given to Dom Paul Bellot, the French Benedictine monk and architect who had previously designed the Benedictine abbey in Oosterhout, where he also lived and had his office, assisted by H.C. van de Leur. Noordhoek would be their first assignment for a parish church.

The church is a small three-aisled basilica. It features many details typical for Bellot's style, such as the shape of the windows and the use of different colours of brick, both things that would return in his later work occasionally. For this church Bellot used different colours of rooftiles as well. In the interior many parts are decorated with mosaics.

The front is noteworthy for the modest bell-tower on top and a recessed parabola arch in which are windows and a portal and suggesting the possibility to extend the church at this side if needed. A contemporary picture shows a sharp contrast in colours between the bricks of various parts of the facade, and if this picture shows a true situation this contrast has obviously faded.

The parabola arch inside is repeated by arches of the same size supporting the wooden ceiling while smaller arches of the same shape seperate the nave from the side-aisles. Instead of a more conventional clerestory three dormer-windows provide light inside the church. The choir is rectangular and is illuminated by small windows in all of its three sides. In this area of the church are also two neatly detailed chimneys. Next to the church are a presbytery and a school, both of which were designed by the same architects.

The church closed in 2013 and has been used for cultural and social events since.

 
 
 
 
 
 
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