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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Quentin d'Allouville, located in the centre of Allouville-Bellefosse in the Seine-Maritime, has its origins in the 13th century, where a first church is mentioned before being destroyed by wars. The present building, built at the beginning of the sixteenth century, retains a nave dated 1538, while major changes take place in the eighteenth century, notably with the addition of the bell tower porch in 1769. Its Gothic architecture, marked by a circular bedside and broken arched bays, uses local materials such as brick, stone and slate.

Ranked a historic monument in 1932, the church houses remarkable furniture, including 18 16th century windows restored in 1885. These stained glass windows, like those of the Tree of Jesse (1540-1550) or of the Last Judgment, illustrate religious scenes and decorative motifs, some financed by the family of Recusson, local lords. A tombstone of 1544, dedicated to Guillaume Dieu, and a 17th century wedding chest, decorated with plant motifs and cariatids, complete this heritage.

The building is part of a larger complex, including a calvary of 1875 and a neighboring millennial oak, symbol of the link between sacred and nature. The stained glass windows, classified in the Palissy inventory, bear witness to the artistic and religious importance of the church, while its architecture reflects the stylistic evolutions between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

The building of the church coincides with a period of reconstruction after the conflicts of the thirteenth century, illustrating the resilience of Norman rural communities. In the 16th century, Allouville-Bellefosse, like many villages, saw its church become a central place of social and spiritual life, where worship, assemblies and commemorations are mixed. Gifts from seigneurial families, such as the Recusson, highlight the role of local elites in the beautification of religious buildings.

The 18th century modifications, such as the bell tower of 1769, reflect the adaptations to the liturgical and aesthetic needs of the era. The 1932 classification marks the recognition of its heritage value, while the restorations of stained glass in the 19th century (by Bergeot in 1885) show an early concern for preservation. Today, the church embodies both the medieval heritage and the transformations of the following centuries.

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