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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens de Vieux-Mareuil, built in the 12th century, is an emblematic novel building of the Périgord. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1912 for its defensive architecture, including traces of mâchicoulis and a brace. Its square bell tower, rebuilt after a fire in 1940, dominates the village, while its flat bedside and back-chorus testify to its original Romanesque style. The church houses three paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, listed as historical monuments in 2006.

The village of Vieux-Mareuil developed around a Gallo-Roman villa, whose remains have been discovered, including a mosaic that has now disappeared. Recent excavations (2024) revealed ceramic teasses from the 1st and 2nd centuries, as well as layings from the 4th century. The church, the seat of an archpried until the Revolution, played a central role in the local religious organization, before Mareuil became the capital of the dean in the 19th century.

The commune of Vieux-Mareuil, since 2017 is part of the Périgord-Limousin regional nature park. Its history is marked by an ancient human occupation, dating back to Magdalenian, as evidenced by the engravings of the Grotto of Fronsac, classified in 2024. The church, symbol of local heritage, illustrates the architectural and social evolution of this rural area, between Gallo-Roman heritage and medieval influence.

Under the Old Regime, Old Mareuil depended on the Barony of Mareuil, owned by the Talleyrand family. The church, though modest, was a major place of worship for the surrounding parishes. After the Revolution, it retained its status as a religious and historical monument, while undergoing transformations, such as the partial reconstruction of its bell tower after the 1940 fire.

The Vieux-Mareuil site, crossed by the Belle River, is also remarkable for its biodiversity, protected under the ZNIEFF. This natural richness, combined with a preserved architectural heritage, makes the Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens church a privileged witness to the history and ecology of Périgord.

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