Contracts with Jan Herberk, constructor and citizen of Kłodawa to build a Jesuit church in Grudziądz (1646) and renovate the castle in Rogóźno (1647)

Abstract

The article discusses two contracts concluded in years 1646 and 1647 by Jan Herberk, constructor and citizen of Kłodawa. The first document concerns building of a Jesuit church in Grudziądz. It was signed on 2 August 1646, and the commission came from Jan Działyński (1590-1648), starosta of Puck, Rogoźno and Pokrzywno, known for many sacral donations. He undertook to cover the costs of the construction of the church, estimated on 15.000 polish zloty, and to deliver all the necessary building materials. Herberk was obliged to finish his works – along with covering the roof with tiles and constructing six tombs inside the church – in span of two years. Unfortunately, only a part of foundations was laid and soon the works were abandoned. Due to prolonged unstable times of war, the construction was not resumed until 1682 (this time in a different location), most probably without Herberk’s participation, and the church was finally consecrated in 1721.

On 1 July 1647 Herberk signed another contract, this time to renovate the castle in Rogóźno. It was built by the Teutonic Order before 1285 and after being taken over by the Kingdom of Poland in 1644 it gradually fell into ruin. Władysław Konstanty Wituski (1603-1655), the administrator of the castle in years 1647-1652, ordered a complex restoration of the building. Unfortunately, the range of eventually executed works is not known. According to descriptions from the fourth quarter of the seventeenth century, the castle was at that time almost completely ruined.

Jan Herberk, the architect form Kłodawa, was hitherto unknown. An attempt to find some more information on him in archival documents has not brought any positive results. The existing literature does however mention a builder named Jan Herbek. He was active since 1615 in Szydłowiec, at the time a lively centre of stonemasonry. He also worked in Warsaw (1636) and Kielce, where he built the castle of bishops of Kraków (1637-1644) and – possibly – the church of Holy Trinity (1644-1646). His ties with Kłodawa are not known, so despite resembling names he cannot be definitely identified with the constructor working for Jesuits in Grudziądz and renovating the castle in Rogóźno.