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Origin and history

The St Peter's church of Ault found its origins in the 13th century with the construction of a castral chapel in 1234 by Countess Adèle of Ponthieu. This original, modest building was enlarged between 1340 and 1341 under the impulse of Ide and Mathieu de Trie, Counts of Ponthieu, transforming the chapel into a nave of four spans. The primitive gothic style dominates this first phase, with dogive vaults and ground columns typical of the period.

In the 15th century, the church underwent two major changes. In 1475, after the fire of the neighbouring city of Eu by the troops of Louis XI, the refugees flocked to Ault, requiring the addition of two lateral naves to the existing structure. Then, in 1579, a storm destroyed the church of Notre-Dame du Perroir (port quarter), making Saint Peter the only place of worship in the city. The choir, reworked in the 16th century in flamboyant Gothic style, then incorporates a stained glass window dedicated to Saint Peter, while the 14th century bell tower also serves as a communal belfry.

The 18th and 19th centuries marked a period of restoration and adaptation. In 1821, three bells (Charlotte, Henriette, Louise) were installed in the bell tower. After a fire at the attic in 1876, the vaults of the nave and the collaterals were rebuilt into false dogive vaults (1878-1879), and the stained glass windows were renewed between 1889 and 1891. The organs, dated from the years 1830-1840, attributed to the basilian fathers of Valloires Abbey, testify to the musical activity of the building. Ranked a historic monument in 1976, the church now retains its flint and white stone checker, characteristic of picardic architecture.

The building thus combines seven centuries of history, from medieval foundations to modern restorations, reflecting the political upheavals (wars, exoduses) and natural (storms, fires) that marked Ault and his region. Its bell tower, a quadrangular, gargoyle tower, remains a symbol of the city, while its religious and civic role (belfry) illustrates its anchoring in community life since the Middle Ages.

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