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Origin and history

The church Saint-Riquier de Sorrus, located in the department of Pas-de-Calais (Hauts-de-France), was built in the sixteenth century to replace an earlier building destroyed by fire in 1554. This monument, typical of Picardy religious architecture, features a chalk structure with a nave, a peg tower surmounted by a slate arrow, and a polygonal bedside choir. The foothills and sacristy, built of brick, reflect subsequent additions or adaptations.

During the French Revolution, the church was diverted from its original use: it served first as a saltpeter's depot, then as a meeting room. These changes illustrate the political and social upheavals of the time, where many religious buildings were reassigned for secular purposes. In 1869, architect Clovis Normand began the reconstruction of the gate and the tower, marking a significant restoration phase.

The interior of the church contains several remarkable elements, including a bronze bell dated 1783, classified as a historical monument in 1943. This bell bears the coat of arms of the Framery, Mython and Dreclure families, showing the links between the building and the local elites. A bas-relief of 1531, classified since 1907, adorns the north wall of the nave: it represents the Tomblay with the donors and their patron saints, as well as a symbolic scene including Adam under Calvary. This white stone bas-relief is a rare example of Renaissance religious art preserved in the region.

The church also preserves objects related to the cult of Saint Riquier, patron of the building, such as a statue, a stained glass window and a votive painting offered in 1862 by Monsieur de Lhomel for the first communion of his daughter. A stained glass of the choir represents Notre-Dame de Santé, a local devotion associated with a miraculous healing attributed to Notre-Dame de Grace de Montreuil. These elements illustrate the richness of Sorrus' religious and artistic heritage.

Renovations continued in the 20th century, with roof restoration in the 1970s. This work has preserved the building, which remains a major architectural and historical testimony for the commune and the Hauts-de-France region.

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