Church of Saint Martin à Cléry-sur-Somme dans la Somme

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Origin and history

The Saint-Martin church of Cléry-sur-Somme, located in the Somme department, replaces a 15th century building partially rebuilt in the 18th and 19th centuries. The village and its church were completely destroyed during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, after a German observatory was spotted in the bell tower, causing its bombardment. The reconstruction, carried out during the inter-war period, was entrusted to the architect Jacques Debat-Ponsan, who opted for a mixture of traditional and modern materials, such as brick and reinforced concrete.

The old church, made of brick and limestone, had a four-storey bell tower surmounted by a stone balcony, accompanied by a stair tower. After the war, the new building adopted a traditional basilica plan, with soapstone elements for the bases and tympanum, while the bell tower, vaults and gargoyles were made of reinforced concrete. The brick walls retain an aesthetic close to the original, although the layout of the surrounding streets has been profoundly altered.

The interior decor was marked by major artistic contributions: Louis-Aimé Lejeune sculpted in 1933 a monumental Christ and angels for the portal, while Jacques Grüber made 11 windows (5 images and 6 greys) in 1931. The furniture, designed by Debat-Ponsan, includes a marble master altar, an oak confessional, and an equestrian statue of Saint Martin. These elements, as well as the glass windows, were protected under the Historic Monuments in April 2024.

The church illustrates the post-First World War reconstruction in Picardia, combining architectural heritage and technical innovations. Its quadrangular bell tower, supported by four foothills, and its octagonal lantern housing a clock make it a symbol of local resilience. The recent protection underscores its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for its furniture and stained glass windows, witnesses to the religious art of the 1930s.

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