Goedereede is an old town with a special character and its own atmosphere. Old buildings recall earlier centuries when Goedereede was very prosperous and was known as a trading place with a lot of shipping and fishing. Striking is the beautiful Gothic tower, built in the years 1467-1512. 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 visible. Due to land reclamation, the church tower had come too far from the sea. A new lighthouse on Westhoofd, near Ouddorp, took over the function of 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 and tower dedicated to Saint Catherine were connected. When shipping moved to new and more favorable ports, church revenues diminished. Maintenance of the church was not done. At the end of 1600 the church was in such a bad state that most of it was demolished. The tower was preserved. The current, smaller church was built in 1706.