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Origin and history

The collegiate Saint-Hildevert de Gournay-en-Bray found its origins in the 11th century under the name of Saint Stephen, before being rebuilt in the 12th century on its remains. His initial plan included a nave to collateral, a transept with absidioles, and a flat-side choir. A fire ravages the building and the city in 1174, leaving intact only the walls of the Romanesque nave and the vaults of the choir. The reconstruction, completed in 1192, incorporates Gothic arches in the nave and transept, while the choir is partially rebuilt. The dedication to Saint Hildevert, bishop of Meaux, dates back to the 13th century, linked to the arrival of clerics carrying his relics.

In the 13th century, the western facade was taken over and surmounted by two unfinished square towers. The bedside is pierced by a large window in the 14th century, and the central tower of the transept, destroyed in 1617, is replaced by a tower-lantern itself destroyed in 1649. Between 1650 and 1660, the two towers were raised by a frame bell tower. The church, classified as a historical monument in 1840, houses a 16th and 18th century d'orgue buffet, the oldest of which dates back to 1538. A complete restoration was carried out in 1874 by the architect of La Roque, and stained glass remodeled in 1954 by J. Gaudin illustrated the life of Saint Hildevert.

The capitals of the southern piles of the nave and choir, among the most famous in the Norman medieval repertoire, testify to the artistic richness of the monument. Initially a collegiate building, it became a parish church after the Revolution. Its furniture and architecture thus combine Romanesque and Gothic heritage, reflecting nearly nine centuries of religious and local history.

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