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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne de Friville, located in the commune of Friville-Escarbotin (département de la Somme, Hauts-de-France region), is a Catholic religious building marked by traditional basilical architecture. Built without transept, it is distinguished by a nave lower than the choir, extended by a tower-clocher. The choir, erected in the 16th century, is reinforced by brick foothills and houses period glass windows as well as an 18th century retable, partially modified (central roof replaced by a Sacred Heart plaster). The building also preserves an adjacent funeral chapel, the work of the Duthoit brothers, sheltering the tombs of the Counts of Bardivillers (19th century).

The church is renowned for its protected furniture, illustrating five centuries of sacred art. Among the major pieces are a statue of Saint Stephen in polychrome stone (15th century), wooden statues of the 16th and 17th centuries (Vierge au Calvaire, Saint Anthony, Saint Honoré), as well as 19th century paintings such as La Lapidation de Saint Stephen (1825) or La Descent de Croix. The choir, classified as a historical monument by decree of 29 December 1981, embodies the artistic and architectural heritage of Picardia. The woodwork, the neo-Gothic chair and a chandelier complete this set.

The site is part of a broader historical context, linked to the local aristocracy: the lateral chapel houses the burials of the family of Hardivillers, including Count Éleanor-Jean d'Hardivillers (died 1822) and his wife, as well as the Countess who died in 1898. These elements underline the social and memorial role of the church, both a place of worship and a witness to the cultural dynamics of the Somme, between medieval heritage and modern transformations. The building, a communal property, remains an identity marker of Friville-Escarbotin, between religious heritage and local history.

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