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Origin and history

The Saint-Simon church of Saint-Simon-de-Bordes is a building dating mainly from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The façade and two eastern spans date back to the 12th century, while the two western spans and the arching of warheads were added at the beginning of the Gothic era. This monument thus illustrates the transition between Romanesque and Gothic styles, typical of this pivotal period in religious architecture.

At the beginning of the 19th century, major modifications were made to the building: the apse choir, which initially extended the single vessel, was demolished. A sacristy was built north of the fourth span, and a neo-Gothic chapel was added south. These transformations reflect the evolution of liturgical needs and architectural tastes of the time.

The church was inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 5 December 2000, thus recognizing its heritage value. A notable feature is its bell, dating from 1507 (MVCVII), originally intended for the nearby parish of Villexavier. Worthy of the inscription "AN MVCVII WE ARE FUMING BY THE PAROYS OF CILLESAVIER AND A FORCE TO BOURSE CHA DEYGNE SANCTA MARIA ORA PRO NOBIS", it reflects the exchanges between local communities and the craft practices of the time.

The church bell tower would have collapsed during the Hundred Years War, a landmark event in the history of the monument. The reconstruction of the campanile and the installation of the Villexavier bell marked a new phase in the life of the building, linked to the upheavals of this troubled period.

Saint-Simon-de-Bordes, a rural commune in Charente-Maritime, is named after Saint Simon, patron saint of the parish, and Bordes, a former local fief. This term, of German origin (board), refers to a plank hut or sheepfold, reflecting the agro-pastoral past of the region. During the Revolution, the commune was temporarily named Simon-de-Bordes, illustrating the toponymic changes of that time.

The church, owned by the commune, remains a central symbol of local history. Its architecture and successive transformations offer a tangible testimony to the religious, social and political evolutions of the region, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era.

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