Jacobuskerk
Rolde's Gothic church, with a tower that can be seen from far away. For centuries the Etstoel, the highest court of Drenthe, also met here.
The Jacobuskerk stands on the Kerkbrink, the green in the middle of the village. The tower used to be a landmark for travellers to and from Groningen, and the reference point when the Westersche Veld and the Oosterveld of Rolde were divided into plots: the plots start narrow near the village and grow wider further out.
History
Around the year 900 the first of three wooden churches was built on this site. Around 1200 came a large Romanesque church with a nave and two aisles, almost as wide as the present one but with a shorter choir. The present Gothic church was built between 1399 and 1428: first the tower, probably by the master builder Johan die Werckmeister, then the church. It was consecrated in 1427 or 1428. In 1598, after the Reformation, the first meeting of the Protestant congregations of Drenthe was held here.
The church was more than a place of worship. Drenthe was divided into six judicial districts, the dingspelen, and Rolde was the centre of the Rolderdingspel. For serious cases there was the Etstoel, with 24 sworn members or etten, four from each dingspel. The Etstoel sat three times a year: in Balloo, in Rolde and in Anloo. In Rolde it met in the Romanesque church, and from 1428 the sessions of both Balloo and Rolde were held in the new church. In 1688 the court moved to Assen. The Etstoel did not only administer justice but also laid down rules, and it remained the highest court of Drenthe until 1791.
Restorations
A restoration in 1854 turned out badly: the vaults and the triumphal arch disappeared and the roof was lowered. After an excavation, a thorough restoration began in 1961 and lasted until 1964. The church regained its original height, and the choir vault and the triumphal arch were restored. During this work a scallop shell, the emblem of St James, was found where an altar had stood, a sign that St James (Jacobus) was one of the patron saints.
The stained-glass windows in the choir are by the glass artist Joep Nicolas. They were installed between 1964 and 1968 and given by the province of Drenthe, among others; six of them depict the dingspelen of Drenthe.
Visiting
The church is still in use, by the Protestant Jacobuskerk congregation and the Roman Catholic St. Jacobusstatie. Outside services it is open to visitors during the day, and there is an audio tour, including one for children. Opening times and activities are on rolderkerk.nl. Close to the church are the dolmens D17 and D18.
