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Origin and history

The Saint-Georges church of Ronquerolles, located in the Val-d The parish, founded in 1142, was placed under the dependency of the abbey Saint-Martin of Pontoise, which implanted a priory there today disappeared. The bell tower, erected in the middle of the 12th century, marks the transition between primitive Romanesque and Gothic styles, with its flat foothills and its plated arches.

In the 13th century, the nave was enhanced with broken arched Gothic windows, while the western gable rosette, primitive Gothic style, could date from the second half of the 12th or early 13th century. The flamboyant gate, added to the first quarter of the 16th century, and its carpentry porch – classified as a historic monument in 1913 – are the most remarkable elements of the building. The choir, with the cut sides, and the south side, added to an indefinite period, reflect successive changes, especially after the Hundred Years' War or the Wars of Religion.

A radical restoration in the 1970s changed the interior aspect, removing the old badigeons and partially taking over the masonries without respecting traditional techniques. Today, affiliated with the parish assembly of Persian, the church houses clean furniture, including a 16th century engraved funeral slab and monolithic baptismal fonts, consecrated in 1998. Its bell tower, partially rebuilt in the 18th century, retains a Romanesque base and a belfry floor with irregular geminied bays.

The building illustrates the rural architectural evolution in Île-de-France, mixing medieval hardiness and later adaptations. Its history is also that of a parish community linked to the abbey of Pontoise, then integrated into the diocese of Beauvais before the Revolution. Archaeological excavations could reveal more about its primitive choir, possibly damaged during the conflicts of the 15th to 16th centuries.

Exteriorly, the steep facade, devoid of foothills, contrasts with the elegance of the porch and sculpted gate, where fantastic animals and foliage adorn the ass-de-lampe and archvolts. The cast iron frame of the choir, dated from the 16th century, and the Romanesque models used in the bell tower recall the wealth of heritage often unknown to the rural churches of the French Vexin.

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