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Origin and history

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption of Warhem finds its origins in a first written mention of the land of Warhem in 938, when it was bought by a chestnut of Bergues before being ceded to the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Winoc. This period probably corresponds to the construction of the first church, of which only the tower remains today, the rest having been destroyed in the sixteenth century. The present building bears the traces of a turbulent history, marked by successive phases of destruction and reconstruction.

In the mid-16th century, the church suffered the ravages of the Gueux in 1566 and 1567, causing significant damage. The reconstruction began quickly: the choir and the side chapels were completed in 1587, followed by the three naves in 1630. An earthquake in 1694 damaged the arrow, which had to be rebuilt that same year. These major works, ranging from the second half of the 16th to the first half of the 17th century, gave the church its present appearance, mixing medieval heritage and Renaissance additions.

Restorations continued in the 19th and 20th centuries, with works between 1808 and 1863, and the installation of stained glass between 1895 and 1897. These interventions were intended to preserve the building, now fully protected by a registration order for the Historic Monuments since 26 June 2006. The church remains a symbol of the religious and architectural heritage of the region, reflecting the stylistic evolutions and historical hazards of Warhem and its inhabitants.

The location of the church, located in Warhem Church Street in the Northern Department, is attested by the Merimée and Monumentum bases. Owned by the commune, it embodies both an active place of worship and a material witness to the upheavals experienced by French Flanders, between religious conflicts, natural disasters and the desire for heritage preservation.

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