Cornelius Church - Noordwelle

The Cornelius church was built in 1450. Noordwelle's church played a major role during the Siege of Zierikzee in the Eighty Years' War. Zierikzee was occupied by the Spaniards. When the State troops, also known as the Beggars, breached the dykes in two places in 1575, most of Schouwen was flooded. The Spaniards fled to the villages, the highest points in the landscape, including Noordwelle.

On 14 January 1576, the States struck and sent 23 vessels to Noordwelle. The Spaniards fled into the church, but the Statesmen set fire to the building. The Spanish soldiers fled further into the tower, whereupon the Statesmen also set the tower ablaze. By now it was too late to surrender. Twenty-two Spanish soldiers jumped down, but did not survive the jump.

Only one person survived the attack. The Spanish warriors included several women. One of them threw her five-week-old baby out of the tower. Miraculously, the baby was caught alive and spared. The mother herself also jumped, but died of her injuries two days later.

After this attack, only part of the nave had remained standing. It was not until 1625 that the choir was rebuilt.