Steenwijk (Ov): Grote of St. Clemenskerk
In
ca. the year 1000 a small stone church was built in Steenwijk. This
church was enlarged and rebuilt several times and in 1296 became a
chapter church. In the 15th century the church was entirely replaced by
the current building, a big three-aisled hall-church in gothic style.
the oldest part of the church is the choir, which was condsecrated in
1409. The nave was completed in ca. 1425 and consisted of one wide main
aisle and two narrower side-aisles, all of which were the same height.
Of the two side-aisles, only the northern one has kept its original
width. It was largely built with the tuff of the predecessor.
In 1466 the Romanesque tower was demolished and work started on a new
tower located a bit more to the west. The space in between the tower
and the nave was filled at the end of the 15th century, when the nave
was lengthened. with two traves. Especially at the northern aisle the
difference between old and new can well be seen, since the two new
traves were built of brick. In ca. 1500 the southern aisle was replaced
by a new, wider one with a second choir. The northern choir .was later
divided in a two-storey sacristy and treasury.
The church was damaged during sieges in 1523 and 1592 and has been in
protestant hands since the Reformation. |
