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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne de Fontarède is a Roman Catholic church located at the place known as Fontarède, in the commune of Moncaut, in the department of Lot-et-Garonne (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). Its name would come from an ancient spring, fons-frigida ("cold water fountain"), having given Fonfrède to the village. A local tradition evokes a construction on the remains of a Roman temple, but without archaeological evidence confirmed by Georges Tholin, local historian.

The building, built in the 12th century, has a simple structure: a single nave of 9.30 m long and a square sanctuary of 8.50 m, both covered with a frame. The western gate, decorated with blind arcades and historic capitals, dominates a triangular facade. A triumphant Christ, seated and blessed, overlooks the entrance. The artistic influences, like the columns with leafy capitals, recall those of the priory of Moirax, close geographically.

Major modifications took place in the 14th and 16th centuries: Georges Tholin pointed to remains of the 14th century in the choir (now invisible), while the bell tower, the south gate and possibly a side gallery date back to the 16th century. A false vault was added in 1878, and the roof was redone in 1938 by Roger Argouin, as evidenced by a wall inscription. The church, converted into a parish annex in the 17th century, was listed as historical monuments on November 25, 1958.

Architecturally, the flat bedside, the foothills of the nave and the semicircular turret (serving stairs and bell tower) illustrate its evolution. The narrow openings, similar to murderous ones, and the vaults redone on the dogive crosses in the choir testify to its adaptation to liturgical and defensive needs. The sculptures of the portal, combining fantastic plant and animal motifs, reflect regional Romanesque art.

The historical sources are mainly based on the works of Georges Tholin (XIXth century), who studied the religious architecture of the Agenas, as well as on subsequent surveys such as those of Magdeleine Ferry on the Romanesque doors of the Lot-et-Garonne. The church remains a characteristic example of the Aquitaine Romanesque heritage, marked by medieval and modern redevelopments.

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