Goedereede, The Netherlands

Goedereede received city rights in 1312 from Sir Gereart van Voorne. The future Pope Adrian VI (1459–1523) was at one time pastor of the parish church of Goedereede. During a great fire in Goedereede in 1482 the old "Katharina Church" and its tower were destroyed. A new church was erected in 1512 beside the Toren van Goedereede (Goederede Tower), which still stands today. Goederede went into a long decline, losing trade to better-sited ports. There were insufficient funds to maintain the church. In 1706 the dilapidated building was pulled down, but the tower was preserved. The former municipality of Goeree also includes the communities of, from west to east, Ouddorp, Goedereede (with Havenhoofd), Oostdijk, and Stellendam.