First mention of the "Villa Porcianum" 932 (≈ 932)
Origin of the site before the church.
1269
First quote from the church
First quote from the church 1269 (≈ 1269)
Parish Church of Montredon.
1763
Construction of Vicarial Chapel
Construction of Vicarial Chapel 1763 (≈ 1763)
Replaces Saint Martin as a place of worship.
XIXe siècle
Transformation into a cellar
Transformation into a cellar XIXe siècle (≈ 1865)
Partial destruction of structure.
13 avril 1948
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 13 avril 1948 (≈ 1948)
Protection of the remaining walls and vaults.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Apse and nave walls (from ground to cornice inclusive); remains of vault of the nave: inscription by decree of 13 April 1948
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
The source text does not mention any named historical actor.
Origin and history
The church of Saint-Martin-de-Poursan, located near Carcassonne, finds its origins in the villa Porcianum, mentioned since 932 in the texts. The religious building itself is attested in 1269 as parish church of Montredon, with the chapels Notre-Dame de Montredon and Saint-Geniès de Brucafel as annexes. Its Romanesque architecture, marked by a unique vaulted nave in a broken cradle and a flat bedside, reflects the stylistic canals of the second half of the 12th century, period of its construction.
Over the centuries, the church lost its central role: a vicarial chapel replaced it in Montredon in 1763, and Saint-Martin was gradually abandoned for his distance from the village. In the 19th century, its transformation into a cellar led to radical changes: disappearance of the bedside cover, partial destruction of the nave, and total removal of the western wall, the traces of which remain visible. The foundations are taken up as sub-work, and the side walls are raised to accommodate tanks, permanently altering its structure.
The monument, partially classified as Historical Monuments in 1948 (the walls of the abside, the nave, and the remains of the vault), also illustrates the tensions between preservation and contemporary use. Part of its old cemetery is ceded to build a garage, while the interior and exterior floor is lowered. These transformations, though damaging, reveal today the Romanesque construction techniques and the successive adaptations of a building with a turbulent history.
