Foudgum in Friesland: Church

Records of a church on this spot go back to the 12th century. It is built on a slight hill (terp in Dutch), to keep it dry when there was a flood. Most of the church was rebuilt in the early 19th century, but a piece of the tower is still original.

The village Foudgum is famous because the Dutch 19th century writer and poet François Haverschmidt was a minister there from 1859 to 1862. The difference between his student days in Leiden and this rural village with more conservative attitudes could not be greater.
Foudgum has since decided to honour Haverschmidt by naming several streets after him and placing a monument in front of the church.