Initial construction XIIe siècle (≈ 1250)
Building of the Romanesque church under Saint Martin.
XVe siècle
Architectural changes
Architectural changes XVe siècle (≈ 1550)
Adding a fire and meeting to Cerçay.
6 juin 1774
Decommissioning
Decommissioning 6 juin 1774 (≈ 1774)
Closing for advanced dilapidation.
14 septembre 1949
MH classification
MH classification 14 septembre 1949 (≈ 1949)
Registration as a historical monument.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Church of Saint Martin of Oizay: inscription by decree of 14 September 1949
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
The source text does not mention any historical actors.
Origin and history
The church of Saint Martin d'Oizay, built in the 12th century in the hamlet of Oizay, was initially the parish church of the village. It was erected as Saint-Martin and served as a place of worship until its decommissioning on June 6, 1774, because of its disrepair. On that date, the parish of Oizay, already attached to the parish of Cerçay in the 15th century, was definitively integrated into Bridoré.
The building, Romanesque style, consists of a primitive nave illuminated by bays today walled, a vaulted choir in the middle of a hanger surmounted by a square bell tower, and a semicircular apse arched in cul-de-four. The arch connecting the nave to the choir was originally used to preserve paintings representing the twelve months of the year, showing a careful decoration. The bell tower, massif and finished with a pyramid, is characteristic of the tourist religious constructions of the time.
Disused in 1774, the church was converted into an agricultural building before being listed as a historic monument on 14 September 1949. This protection allowed to preserve its major architectural elements, despite its cultural abandonment. Today, it remains a remarkable example of the rural Romanesque heritage in Touraine, illustrating the evolution of medieval parishes and their gradual fusion.
The west façade, reworked after the initial construction, has a mid-air forebody and a broken arched door, added after the 12th century. Inside, a fire in the 15th century attests to subsequent changes. The materials used, such as summarily attached flat stone beds, reflect local construction techniques.
Located 1.6 km northeast of the village of Bridoré, the church marks the landscape of the hamlet of Oizay. Its traditional west-east orientation, with the nave to the west and the choir to the east, follows the medieval liturgical canons. Despite its decommissioning, it retains a strong heritage value, linked to its parish history and its typical 12th century architecture.
