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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Amant de Saint-Amant-de-Bonnieure, first mentioned in 1260, was originally the seat of a cure attached to the cathedral chapter of Angoulême as early as 1409. This building, partially destroyed by the Protestants in 1562 during the Wars of Religion, was erected in the late 16th century. Its architecture reflects this tumultuous history, with a flamboyant style facade and Romanesque elements preserved in the abside and bell tower.

The nave, covered with a panel in 1850, is preceded by a broken hanger door and a flamboyant reamped window added in 1912. The narrower square under cradle is framed by two large arches on columns, while the semicircular abside, surmounted by a cul-de-four, and the bell tower date from the 12th century. These Romanesque elements contrast with posterior additions, such as double blind arches on pilasters strengthening the base of the bell tower.

Other significant works took place in the 17th and 18th centuries, notably between 1638 and 1651, then in 1759 and around 1870. These successive interventions have shaped the present aspect of the church, which thus combines medieval traces with more recent modifications. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1981, it now belongs to the municipality and bears witness to the architectural and religious evolution of the region.

The location of the church, although documented (address: 10 Avenue de Neufgrange, Saint-Amant-de-Bonnieure), is considered to be of poor accuracy (note 5/10). Its historical role, linked to the Angoulême chapter and the religious conflicts of the sixteenth century, makes it an emblematic heritage of the Poitou-Charentes, now integrated into New Aquitaine.

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