Initial construction Fin XIe - début XIIe siècle (≈ 1225)
Romanesque building erected, original plan partially preserved.
1350-1370
Dating of the frame (nef)
Dating of the frame (nef) 1350-1370 (≈ 1360)
Dendrochronological analysis of the wooden structure.
1507-1537
North transept carpent
North transept carpent 1507-1537 (≈ 1522)
Construction period identified by dendrochronology.
1926
Structural repair and bell tower
Structural repair and bell tower 1926 (≈ 1926)
Documented structural intervention.
Fin XIXe siècle
First major restoration
First major restoration Fin XIXe siècle (≈ 1995)
Conservation work not detailed in sources.
17 mai 2019
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 17 mai 2019 (≈ 2019)
Legal protection of the building and its site.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The church of Saint-Gilles-des-Champs in its entirety, and the plate floor of its placister, sis rue 19 March 1962, and as delimited on the plan annexed to the decree (Box AO 181): inscription by decree of 17 May 2019
Key figures
Architecte Millot - Head of catering
Directs the work of 1961 (coated, frame).
Origin and history
The church of Saint-Gilles-des-Champs, located in Hennebont in Morbihan, is a religious building built in the late 11th or early 12th century. It is in the Romanesque style, although its history is poorly documented due to the absence of written sources. The building has undergone multiple destructions and transformations over the centuries, altering its original plan. In modern times, additions such as a polygonal chapel to the southwest and a porch to the north changed its structure. The frame bell tower, typical of the Breton churches, probably dates from this period, while the nave preserves traces of its missing sides, visible as walled arcades.
Major restorations have marked the recent history of the church. At the end of the 19th century, a construction campaign was carried out, followed by repairs to the structure and bell tower in 1926. In 1961, a new restoration, led by architect Millot, concerned interior and exterior coatings as well as structural farms. These interventions preserved remarkable elements, such as the capitals carved with geometric motifs (losangels, chevrons) on the pillars of the transept. The frame, masked by a panel of the 1970s, was dated by dendrochronology between 1350-1370 for the nave and 1507-1537 for the north transept, revealing its heritage interest.
The church was listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage in the 1980s, before being classified as a historical monument on 17 May 2019. This classification fully protects the building and its location. Among the notable furniture elements, a statue of St.Gilles and a 19th century painting, representing a scene of his life, are also listed as historical monuments. The high altar, moved in 1957 before returning to the church, bears witness to the liturgical and heritage developments of the site. Today, the church of Saint-Gilles-des-Champs remains a significant example of Breton religious architecture, mixing Romanesque heritage and later transformations.
