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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Pierre de Bougon church, located in the eponymous village of New Aquitaine, has its origins from at least the tenth century, as evidenced by a charter of the Abbey of Saint-Maixent mentioning the parish. However, its façade and the base of its bell tower date mainly back to the 12th century, a period of major construction for the building. The nave, which was initially carpented, was later vaulted with dogives, and a broken arch window was pierced in the bedside, reflecting later architectural developments.

In the 17th century, in 1610, notable changes were made: a wall was erected between the nave and the choir, and the latter was redesigned. These transformations illustrate the liturgical and structural adaptations of the time. In the middle of the 19th century, major repairs took place, including the removal of the dogive vault, replaced by a now extinct panel. This work marks a significant restoration phase, although partially erased by time.

The Saint-Pierre church is distinguished by its hybrid architecture, combining Romanesque elements (clocher and west façade, classified in 1933) and Gothic or posterior additions. The span under a bell tower, vaulted in a cradle and forming porch, as well as the ribbed pillars, testify to this stylistic complexity. The building, which has been listed in the Historical Monuments since 1929 (except for listed parts), remains an emblematic communal heritage, open to the visit.

The location of Bougon in the Deux-Sèvres, anchored in the former Poitou-Charentes region, gives this church a local historical role. Its architectural evolution reflects the spiritual and community needs of a rural parish, from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Sources, such as Monumentum and the Mérimée archives, highlight its heritage importance, despite a documented geographical location with medium accuracy (level 6/10).

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