Up the church path in Huizinge
A church in Huizinge is mentioned as early as the ninth century. The current church was built around 1250, its predecessors will have been wooden structures, as nothing has been found of older building materials such as tuff.
Have a look now
The church path and the church of Huizinge have a long and varied history.
As early as the ninth century, mention is made of a church in Huizinge. The current church was built around 1250; its predecessors will have been wooden structures, as nothing has been found of older building materials such as tuff. When Abbot Emo - famous for the chronicles he wrote in the monastery he founded in Wittewierum - was pastor here around 1205, it must also have been a wooden structure. This Janskerk, or John the Baptist Church, of Huizinge is a beautifully preserved late Romanesque church. The decoration with white areas above the windows is striking. The beautiful rounded chancel, as well as the coloured ribs rising from the floor inside, point to Rhenish influences. Probably in imitation of the then convent church of Wittewierum.
In the fig...
The church path and the church of Huizinge have a long and varied history.
As early as the ninth century, mention is made of a church in Huizinge. The current church was built around 1250; its predecessors will have been wooden structures, as nothing has been found of older building materials such as tuff. When Abbot Emo - famous for the chronicles he wrote in the monastery he founded in Wittewierum - was pastor here around 1205, it must also have been a wooden structure. This Janskerk, or John the Baptist Church, of Huizinge is a beautifully preserved late Romanesque church. The decoration with white areas above the windows is striking. The beautiful round chancel, as well as the coloured ribs rising from the floor inside, point to Rhenish influences. Probably in imitation of the then convent church of Wittewierum.
In the 15th century, the windows on the south side of the church were broken out and replaced by larger Gothic windows, the women's entrance on the north side was closed, the men's entrance enlarged. Some of the paintings, also dating from that time, have been preserved. Over time, many churchgoers will have looked at them during the sermon.
Church paths
They walked along the church paths every Sunday to attend the service. Huizinge has two of them, one path ran from the weem(pastorie and stone house demolished in 1963) to the south side of the church, the other ran through the farmlands from borg Fraam which was northwest of the village. This 14th-century borg was home to influential people, but that is another story. Nothing remains of borg Fraam; it was probably demolished as early as 1738. But the church path remained and was owned by the owner of the land.
However, the path in the 1905 photo by Lopster photographer W.F. Pastoor is of later date, because when the mound was excavated in the early 20th century, the ancient church path had to give way to the excavation. It was intersected by the drain of the new harbour. The farmer was allowed to relocate the path on condition that he would take on the maintenance of the new path.
Footsteps
What a lot of footsteps there must have been on those old church paths, which ran everywhere right through the farmlands from farms and borgen to the nearest church. Barefoot, large and small clogs, decorated or sanded, brand new or worn through, leather slippers and shoes, high and low, all shapes and sizes of footwear carried their owners to church. Neat in their Sunday suits on their way to the service or musing on the words of pastor or vicar back home, where daily worries awaited them again. Joyful because of celebrations, Christian holidays, weddings, christenings, or sad if there was a mourning service.
And that Sunday suit, that too has seen many faces and gone through many fashions, from simple doublet to ingenious cut, from many skirts to long trousers. The girls in the photo from over a century ago wore neat white aprons and hats, the boys a clean smock and neat cap. Their mothers may have had earrings, their fathers also caps or (top) hats. A lot has changed since then.
Sprightly
Still leaving their footsteps every Sunday are the 120 members of the sprightly Huizinge Protestant congregation. Among them eight theologians , two organists and a choir of 30 people: a rich church community.
source: verhalenvangroningen.nl
Photo: The church path to Huizinge's church in 1905.