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Origin and history

The Saint-Laurent-et-Saint-Front church of Beaumont-du-Périgord was built from 1272, on the orders of Edward I, King of England and Duke of Aquitaine, to serve the new bastide founded by Luke of Thaney, Sénéchal of Gascony. Its construction marked Anglo-Aquitaine suzerainety on the south of Périgord after the Treaty of Paris (1259), which had redefined the relations between Capetians and Plantagenets. The bastide, created ex nihilo, required a parish church capable of welcoming the faithful and participating in the defense of the city, hence its fortified architecture with four square towers and thick walls.

The construction, begun at the end of the 13th century, finished in the 14th century, with elements such as the Gothic portal (dated from the years 1330-1350 by Jacques Gardelles). The church initially depended on the abbey of Cadouin and the priory of Saint-Avit-Seneur, whose rights were negotiated to reach the name Beaumont (in reference to Belpech). Gaston II of Gontaut-Badefol and his brother Peter, as well as the local religious chapters, partially financed the building. Designed as a refuge, it incorporated an inner well, weapons rooms in the attic, and crenelated cups communicating with the towers.

During the Hundred Years' War, the church did not suffer major damage, but it was taken three times by the Protestants (1576, 1585, 1587) without apparent damage. In the 19th century, partial collapses (1810) and controversial restorations (1833, 1869, 1899) changed its appearance: the brick dinghy vaults replaced medieval structures, the structure was lowered, and the western facade (with its rose and carved frieze) was restored. The stained glass windows, made in 1876-1877 by Joseph Villiet, and the classification at the Historic Monuments (1909) completed its preservation.

Architecturally, the church combines religious and military functions: unique nave of 52,50 m, walls reinforced with massive foothills, and full towers with screw stairs and bunk rooms. The south tower, 30 m high, housed a defensive system connected to the attic weapons room. The western portal, adorned with yousures and a historiated frieze (tetramorphic, siren, hunting scenes), illustrates Norman Gothic influence in the Midi. Inside, three chapels — including an earlier novel — and carved culs-de-lampe (foliage, fantastic animals) testify to its artistic richness.

The church also embodies tensions between preservation and modernization. The 19th-century restorations, criticized for their fortified character (replacement of crenelages by gables, suppression of guard bodies), aimed to harmonize with the standard Gothic style. However, defensive elements remain, such as the harness above the side door — designed for burials and crop storage in case of siege. Today, it remains a rare example of a Bastide church, mixing Anglo-Aquitaine heritage, military innovations and religious heritage.

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