Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Pierre de Meslay-du-Maine church, located in the village on the Place de l'Église, is a Roman Catholic building dating back to the 11th century. This bell tower, covered with slates, has a regular torsion of 1/8th tower, although the origin of this architectural feature remains controversial. The structure was severely damaged by a storm in 1630, then rebuilt in the same year under the direction of the Lavallois architect Jean Martinet, who also supervised the addition of a bell named Pierre, still in place today and listed at the Historic Monuments.

The building underwent several restoration campaigns, notably in 1827, 1842 and 1849, gradually changing its low nave and narrow choir. The 1906 inventory is an important administrative event in its history. More recently, in 2012, the church was vandalized: statues and objects of worship were moved or overturned, an episode that highlighted the vulnerability of the local heritage. Inside, the chapel founded by Catherine de Vauclin in 1643 and the altars dedicated to Saint Julien, Saint Barbe, Notre-Dame-de-Pitié and Saint Sebastian bear witness to her rich religious past.

The foothills added in the 15th century and the altars dating from the 16th and 17th centuries illustrate the architectural and liturgical developments of the building. The Pierre bell, offered by Pierre Jourdan and Simone Marest in 1630, remains a lasting symbol of the piety and community history of Meslay-du-Maine. Local historical sources, such as Alphonse-Victor Angot's works or Siloé's editions, document its importance in the Mayan heritage.

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