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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jouin de Moisdon-la-Rivière was mentioned for the first time in 1083 when a Benedictine priory was founded. The priest Judicaël then gave over one third of the church's dimes and rights to the new establishment. The cross of the transept and its bell tower, partially preserved, could date from this period. In the 12th century, Benedictine monks provided religious service, while the nave was built, giving the building an initial plan with a single transept, whose choir remained poorly known.

In 1467 there was a conflict between parishioners and the priory, who tried to seize the church. The archives then reveal its defensive system: in case of danger, the main door was walled, and a ditch dug in front of a small south door, accessible by a removable board. The Duke Francis II of Brittany decided in favour of the parishioners, confirming their possession of the building. This system, now partially modified (the southern gate became a window), bears witness to its role as a refuge during medieval unrest.

The church underwent major changes in 1849: the simple transept was replaced by a double transept, and the choir was rebuilt. In 1857, stalls were installed. The tower, massive and pierced by murderers, still dominates the building. Covered by a dome and an arrow from the 17th century, it was used for monitoring the village. The nave, vaulted with "inverted ship", houses acoustic amphores embedded in the walls, a rare technique shared with the Abbey of Melleraye.

Classified as a Historical Monument in 1978 (nef and bell tower), the church also retains protected furniture. Its west façade, with a 16th-century basket cove door, and its niche housing a modern statue of Saint Marguerite de Pisidi, illustrate the strata of its history. A unique fortified church in the department, it embodies both an exceptional religious, defensive and architectural heritage.

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