Saint Peter's Church of Cherisy dans l'Eure-et-Loir

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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre de Cherisy, located in the Eure-et-Loir department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, finds its origins in the 10th century. In 981, the Countess Eve offered the building to the religious chapter of Dreux, a donation confirmed in 1158 by Pope Adrien IV for the benefit of the Canons of Saint Stephen. These acts mark its historic anchor in the local ecclesiastical network, long before the construction of the current building.

The present structure, built between the 13th and 16th centuries, preserves a nave from the 12th century, extended east to the 15th century. Its western portal, dating from the 12th to 13th century transition, illustrates this mixture of periods. The square bell tower, erected in the 16th century, combines stone and wooden panels, culminating at 23 meters after its slate cover in 1933. A side-renaissance, added to respond to population growth, enriches the interior architecture.

Among the remarkable elements, the bell Anne, melted in 1614 by Jehan Annet de Mantes, weighs 1,050 kg and still sounds today after restorations (fangled in 1918, recast in 1920, renovated in 2012-2013). Ranked a historic monument in 1943, it symbolizes the sound heritage of the diocese of Chartres. The church, renovated in 1995-1996 (roof and facades), also houses a monument to the dead (1921) honoring the 27 children of the commune who fell during the two world wars.

Administratively, the church falls under the parish of Saint-Étienne in Drouais, integrated into the dean of Drouais. Its history thus reflects the religious, architectural and memorial evolutions of the region, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era.

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