Goedereede is an old town with a special character and its own atmosphere. Old buildings remind us of earlier centuries when Goedereede was very prosperous and known as a trading center with a lot of shipping and fishing. The beautiful Gothic tower, built in the years 1467-1512, is striking. For a long time it was used as a beacon for seafarers. First with a primitive fire, later with a real lighthouse light. In 1911 the light was extinguished because it was no longer clearly visible. Due to land reclamations, the church tower had become too far from the sea. A new lighthouse on the Westhoofd, near Ouddorp, took over the function of a reconnaissance light for shipping. Now only a buoy light placed on the tower in 2013 is a reminder of the lighthouse past.
Initially, the parish church dedicated to Saint Catherine and the tower were connected. When shipping moved to new and more favorably located port cities, church income decreased. There was no maintenance of the church. At the end of 1600, the church was in such a poor condition that most of it was demolished. The tower was preserved. The current, reduced church was built in 1706.