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Origin and history

The Saint-Martin de Merval church, located in the delegated commune of Merval (Les Septvallons, Aisne), is a building whose choir dates back to the 3rd quarter of the 12th century. This vaulted choir of warheads, extended by a niche of altar in broken arch, contrasts with the lower nave, capped and built in 1852 to replace an earlier work probably ruined. The triumphal arch in third-point, topped by a bell tower-wall with two twin arches, marks the transition between these two parts.

During the Ancien Régime, the parish of Merval depended on the bishopric of Soissons (Archidiaconé du Tardenois) and its cure was presented by the archbishop of Reims, shared with the bishop of Soissons and the abbey of Saint-Yved de Braine. In the 18th century, Merval formed a unique parish with the neighbouring village of Serval. The church, badly damaged in 1918 during the German retreat (the collapse of the vault and the nave), was classified as a historical monument on 15 October 1919.

Its restoration, conducted from 1921 to 1924 under the direction of the architect of the Historic Monuments Lucien Sallez, aimed to restore its original state. During the work, a temporary wooden chapel maintained the cult. Protected elements include the entire building, owned by the municipality. Today, the church bears witness to both its medieval heritage and the reconstructions linked to the conflicts of the twentieth century.

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