Raamsdonk
(NB): Reformed church or St. Lambertus
Originally named St.
Lambertus, the church of Raamsdonk was confiscated by the protestants
in 1609, and never returned to the catholics, who were forced to meet
in secret and ordered the construction of a new, much more monumental St. Bavo's church much
later.
The old church is an impressive one too. It's a late-15th century
cruciform pseudo-basilican church in simple Gothic style. Only the
choir shows some of the richness that is usually asociated with
Gothicism. The tower is the church's oldest part. It's a late-13th
century tower in Romanesque style, although its decorative brickwork
was obviously already strongly influence by the then relatively new
Gothic fashion. The tower is four stages high; a fifth stage was added
later but was removed in 1920. The simple pyramid-shaped roof on top
dates from that same year and is of a type that is often used for
restored Romanesque towers. The entrance at the western side of the
tower could be original, but the ornaments around it are from the 18th
century.
The church itself was altered several times as well. Its walls were
heightened, and some windows were enlarged, while others were closed.
The original traceries of the windows were replaced by white wooden
window-frames as seen on many other protestant churches. In the 19th
century the gables of the transept-arms were altered, which in their
turn were replaced by new, more harmonizing ones in 1955. In that year
also the richly decorated buttresses of the choir and transept were
restored.
The church is no longer used for regular services but is maintained by
a seperate foundation and can be rented for various occassions.
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