Saint George's Church of Chemilly-sur-Yonne dans l'Yonne

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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church Saint-Georges of Chemilly-sur-Yonne, located in the department of Yonne in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, is a religious building whose origins date back to the late 12th century. His existence was attested in 1215 by an act by Guillaume de Seignelay, who entrusted his patronage to the cathedral chapter of Auxerre. The oldest part, the ancient choir, has characteristics of transition between Romanesque art and Gothic art, with arches and carved capitals. This choir would have replaced a primitive chapel and date from the end of the twelfth or the very beginning of the thirteenth century.

In the 16th century, the church was enlarged by the addition of a south side bottom pierced with large Gothic windows. In 1746 the parishioners requested the removal of the high altar in the first span of the lower side, where it is still today. The Champagne-style wooden bell tower replaced the old stone bell tower in 1750, which collapsed in 1735. It houses three bells, two of which dated from 1564, classified as a campanary heritage of Burgundy. The wall paintings discovered in 2009, dating from the 13th, 15th and 16th centuries, illustrate religious scenes and floral decorations.

The church retains remarkable furniture, including a golden wooden high altar from Auxerre and statues offered by the local brotherhoods. Two works are classified as Historical Monuments: a painting depicting St Nicholas, St Sebastian and St Roch, as well as a great Christ on a walnut cross from the Cordeliers d'Auxerre convent. The building, registered in 1999, bears witness to the rural religious architecture of the diocese of Auxerre, mixing medieval heritage and Renaissance transformations.

The nave, made up of three spans, was strongly reshaped during the enlargements. The last span, arched in wood, was reportedly built by parishioners, plowers. Original sculptures, such as smooth-leafed capitals or adorned tillers, highlight the influence of local workshops. The 16th century murals, including representations of Saints Vincent, Florentin and Mauritius, reflect the devotion of donors and the religious life of the community.

The history of the church is marked by successive adaptations to liturgical needs and to the means of the parish. Its rectangular plan, with two naves, and its protected elements (dogive vaults, lower side, bell tower) make it an example of Burgundy's rural heritage. Recent restorations have revealed fragmentary pictorial traces, providing an overview of past artistic richness.

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