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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Baron, located in the Oise department in the Hauts-de-France region, is a flamboyant Gothic building built almost entirely in the sixteenth century. Its bell tower, dating from the 15th century with a stone arrow of 45 meters, is the oldest part. The interior, of rare homogeneity, is distinguished by its wavy pillars, elegant vaults and 18th century woodwork from the abbey of Chaalis, destroyed after the French Revolution. These woodwork, classified in 1902, adorn the choir and represent religious and allegorical motifs.

The church is famous for its connection with Joan of Arc, who would have communicated there in 1429, although the current building replaced the original church. Ranked among the first historical monuments of France in 1840, it suffered damage during the Second World War, requiring partial repairs. Despite its architectural importance, it has never been studied in detail, and its history remains poorly documented. Today, it depends on the parish of Notre-Dame-de-la-Visitation du Haudouin and hosts Sunday Masses every other Sunday.

The church furniture includes remarkable elements such as an 18th-century altarpiece, a 14th-century statue of the Virgin and Child, and Renaissance baptismal fonts. The transept, longer than the nave, and the choir, as long as this one, illustrate the architectural ambition of the building. The now-disappeared stained glass windows once represented religious figures like Saint Protaise. Despite its early ranking, the church remains unknown and requires restorations to preserve its fragile vaults.

The exterior of the church, sober with the exception of the richly decorated southern facade, features a particularly remarkable southern portal, decorated with late Gothic sculptures and motifs. The bedside, partially visible from Rue du Cimetière, and the bell tower, restored in 1615, testify to the architectural evolution of the building. Gargoyles and pinacles add to its monumental character, while the absence of high windows in the nave strengthens the visual unity of the interior.

Under the Ancien Régime, Baron was a village of importance under the Diocese of Senlis. The suppression of this diocese during the Revolution led to the parish being attached to that of Beauvais, then to Amiens, before his return to Beauvais in 1822. The church, formerly an independent parish, is now affiliated with a wider parish area, reflecting modern ecclesiastical reorganizations. Its maintenance and preservation remain an issue for the municipality, owner of the monument.

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