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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The ancient church of Aubin-Saint-Vaast, located in the hamlet of Saint-Vaast, dates back to the 12th century. It was demolished around 1890, but its portal, the only remaining vestige, has been listed in the Historical Monuments since 1926. Built of cut stone and sandstone stone, it presented an architecture combining religious and military functions, with a square tower evoking an ancient dungeon.

The building originated in a much older oratory, founded in 508 by Bishop Vedastus (or Vaast), who came to evangelize the Haine region. This oratory, transformed into a chapel and then a church around 1100, became a place of refuge for threatened local populations. His history was marked by destruction, especially in 1643, when the French armies burned the church and stole its bells to make cannons.

Architecturally, the church combined Romanesque elements, such as a door decorated with columns and bas-reliefs, and subsequent modifications, such as brick-framed windows. Inside, the choir had thick walls, a flat bedside, and tombstones still visible. The vault bore the date of 1679, showing restorations after the damage suffered.

Today, there are only traces of this building, including the classified gate. The exact location, at 241 Rue Saint-Vaast in Aubin-Saint-Vaast (Pas-de-Calais), makes it a historical vestige of Hauts-de-France, linked to the medieval heritage and the conflicts that marked the region.

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