Oudekerk/Pelgrimvaders Kerk
On July 22, 1620, 16 men, 11 women, and 19 children sailed from Delfshaven on the Speedwell. Their final destination was America, where they helped found the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. Puritan Protestants fleeing England for religious freedom usually went to Amsterdam, but this group, who arrived in 1608, decided to settle in Leiden, before eventually making the journey to the New World. On July 20, 1620, they left by boat to Delft and then Delfshaven, where they spent their last night in Holland. After a sermon from their vicar, John Robinson—in what has since become this church—they boarded the Speedwell, sailing to Southampton, England; on September 5, they left on the Mayflower, reaching Cape Cod 60 days later.
The church was built in 1417 as the Chapel of Sint Anthonius, then extended and restyled in the late-Gothic period. However, in 1761, the ceilings were raised, and the current style dates from this Regency revamp, when an ornate wooden clock tower was also added. Next to the choir is a vestry from 1819, where you can find a memorial plaque to the Pilgrim Fathers on the wall. The bell tower has a tiny balcony. The church is now owned by the Trust for Old Dutch Churches.
Hours are quite restricted, but group visits can be arranged at other times via the website.
