Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin-d'Anglars, located in Saint-Maurin in the Lot-et-Garonne, has had a turbulent history. The first parish church was looted in 1346 by the English troops of the Count of Derby, then destroyed in 1356 by those of the Black Prince. Rebuilt in 1525 as a memorial plaque, it was again burned in 1561 by Protestants, delaying its restoration until the 17th century. Roofwork was completed only in 1681, without vaults and panels.

In the 19th century, the church was looted during the Revolution, and the offices were transferred to the abbey in 1791. The vaults of the transept and choir, adorned with liernes and thirdons, date back to the 1860s-1862s, while the stained glass windows, by Joseph Villiet, were installed in 1866. Ranked a historic monument in 1930, its final restoration was completed in 1932. The building thus combines Gothic elements (15th century) and neo-Gothic additions.

Architecturally, the church consists of a unique three-span nave, a transept and a square bedside. The sculpted capitals, the sled windows and the vaults on dogive crosses testify to its design unit, rare in the region. The bell tower, flanked by a staircase turret, dominates the whole. Inside, the painting Adoration of the Magi (master altar), classified in 1906, and the stained glass windows of Villiet are among the major heritage elements.

Historical sources, such as the Pouillé of the Diocese of Agen (1789), underline its central role in local religious life. The successive restorations reflect the political and religious upheavals (the Hundred Years War, the Wars of Religion, the Revolution), while preserving its medieval character. Today, the church remains a testimony of religious architecture in Aquitaine, between Gothic heritage and modern interventions.

External links