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Origin and history

The Saint-Martin de Cherval Church, located in the Dordogne department in New Aquitaine, is a Catholic religious building built at the end of the 11th century. Originally un arched, it was equipped with four cupolas on pendants at the beginning of the 12th century, requiring the strengthening of the drip walls. These architectural changes, including an elevation for a defence chamber, reflect its adaptation to a context of conflict, particularly during the Hundred Years War.

The span of the choir and its dome, as well as the facade, were added at the end of the twelfth century. The bell tower dates back to the 17th century. In 1710, Sieur Beauvayx, a merchant, acquired the rights of bench and burial of the Roux de la Motte family and financed the construction of a chapel dedicated to the Birth of Notre-Dame. This chapel, 16 feet long and 10 wide, was rebuilt in 1898 by the architect Dubet.

The church was listed as a historic monument on February 10, 1913. It benefited from major restorations, notably in 1962 by the Historic Monuments Service, and a new construction campaign was launched in 2023. Its Romanesque architecture, marked by committed columns and carved capitals, illustrates the technical challenges of the time, such as the initial absence of foothills, later compensated by broken arches.

The upper parts of the building, arranged in a defence chamber, testify to its dual religious and military use. The structural disorders, visible in the carrying walls, revealed the need to strengthen the building in the 19th century. Today, the Church of Saint Martin remains a remarkable example of perigordine Romanesque architecture, combining technical innovation and adaptation to defensive needs.

Historical sources, including archaeological bulletins from the Périgord and studies like Perigord Romanesque by Jean Secret, document its evolution. Elements such as the bell, mentioned in a bulletin of 1894, or the rights of bench and burial, analysed in 1928, enrich the understanding of its social and religious role throughout the centuries.

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