Harkstede Church

The church Harkstede in the Groningen municipality of Slochteren was built at the end of the 17th century, it is the third church on this site. The first church dates back to the Middle Ages. This was demolished in 1691, whereupon the present church was built. The tower dates back to the time of the first church and was built around 1250. The tower was separated from the church until the present church was added to it. The lord of Klein Martijn near Harkstede, Henric Piccardt, who was also a collator of the church of Harkstede, decided around 1690 to demolish the old church of Harkstede from the 13th century. On October 25, 1691, the last service was held in the old church. The tower was spared and served as a prison for a long time. On behalf of Piccardt and his wife Anna Elisabeth Rengers, a new Gothic church was built on the same site against the old tower by master mason Henric Coeur and master carpenter Geert van der Aa. The foundation stone was laid on October 25, 1692, but it seems that the work did not really start until 1694. In 1695, a stained glass window was installed in which Piccardt and his wife refer to themselves as "heer en vrouw deser kerck en plaetse". In 1700, the church was consecrated, and the couple had their own church.

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