Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Gilles d'Argenton-les-Vallées, located in the Deux-Sèvres in New Aquitaine, finds its origins in the 11th century. In 1069, Geoffroy de Blois and his wife Pétronille d'Argenton offered the church and chapel Saint-Georges to the abbot of Bourgueil, a gift confirmed by Isembert II, bishop of Poitiers. This place of worship quickly became the subject of a dispute between the monks of Bourgueil and those of the abbey Saint-Jouin de Marnes, a conflict resolved in 1100 in favour of the latter. Raoul de la Fustaie, a disciple monk of Robert d'Arbrussel, plays a key role in transforming the church into a priory.

In the 12th century, the western facade was rebuilt by integrating a tuffeau portal, a rare material in this granitic region, decorated with sculptures depicting the work of the months, the signs of the zodiac, the apostles, and biblical scenes such as the parable of the wise and mad Virgins. Wars, including the Hundred Years War, seriously damaged the building. Philippe de Commynes, lord of Argenton from 1473 to 1511, undertook restorations, especially the cross under the bell tower, marked by its coat of arms.

Between 1528 and 1531, the church was enlarged: the Romanesque choir was transformed, a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Pitié was added, and the north arm of the transept was taken over. The Wars of Religion (XVI century) and the Vendée War (XVIII century) caused significant damage, including the collapse of the vaults and the burning of the arrow. Major restoration campaigns took place in the 19th and 20th centuries, notably in 1817-1819, 1896-1898, and 1996-2000, to restore the building to its present appearance.

The Western portal, classified as a Historical Monument in 1907, is a masterpiece of Poitevin Romanesque art. His five sculpted vestures, without tympanum, illustrate religious and astrological themes, while the side friezes, although very damaged, evoke the Last Judgment and the parable of poor Lazarus. This portal, made of cut stone and tuffeau, bears witness to the regional artistic influence and the mastery of medieval artisans.

The history of the church is also marked by its role in community life and local conflicts. During the Wars of Religion, it was restored by the family of Châtillon after repeated looting. The Vendée War left the building in ruins, with only a few intact vaults. The successive restorations, notably that of 1896-1898, unified the spans of the nave and reconstructed the vaults, while preserving the medieval elements still visible, such as pieces of the wall of the choir and the transept.

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