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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Saint-Martin church of Steene, located in the village of the same name in the Hauts-de-France region, is a building whose origins date back to the 11th or 12th century. From this first construction, today only the western elevation and perhaps the base of the pillars of the tower remains. These remains bear witness to a primitive Romanesque architecture, characteristic of the rural churches of that time in northern France.

In the 16th century, the church was largely rebuilt, as evidenced by the engraved dates 1533 and 1542 on the foothills of the southern ship. This ambitious project initially provided for a nave with three vessels of the same height, but the work was interrupted. Finally, we simply added a simple low side north of the nave, probably in the late 16th or 17th century. This adjustment reflects the financial or technical constraints of the time.

The church's architecture mixes a variety of materials: ferroruginous sandstone stones for the western span, limestone for the capitals of the northern pillars, and a roofing panel in the lateral vessels of the choir. The rest of the building is covered with a coated lattis, while a vaulted spiral staircase serves the floors. Around 1880, a porch was added in front of the façade, according to a local chronicle, marking a last notable modification.

Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 18 March 1947, the Church of Saint Martin illustrates the architectural evolution of religious buildings in the North, between Romanesque heritage and late Gothic reconstructions. Its atypical structure, with a three-vessel choir and a two-vessel nave, makes it a rare testimony of the local adaptations to the original unaboutis projects.

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