's-Heerenhoek (Z): St. Willibrordus (Th. Asseler, 1873-1874)

 
's Heerenhoek is a relatively new village, its history does not date back further than the 17th century; before that, its location was still part of the sea. The first church in the village was protestant and built in 1672; this church was closed in 1972 and is nowadays in the open air museum in Arnhem.  In 1797, two years after freedom of religion had been proclaimed, the catholics of 's Heerenhoek built themselves a barn church. It was the first new catholic church in the Zeeland province since the Reformation. With some changes and enlargements this church served until well into the 1870's. Already in 1865 plans were made to replace it. In 1872 a new church was designed by Th. Asseler. It's a three-aisled cruciform basilica with a tower with two square segments and an octagonal one. Asseler had learned much of his skills from his uncle Th. Molkenboer. Like Molkenboer, Asseler designed in a neo-Gothic style that had still a largely decorative nature and showed little evidence of true understanding of Gothic, which is here especially noticeable in the details.