Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Saint-Quentin de Wirwignes, located in the Pas-de-Calais department, finds its origins in the 12th century. Originally called "low church", it was remodeled in the 15th and 16th centuries, and then deeply transformed in the 19th century by Father Paul Lecoutre. The latter, inspired by a journey to Italy and the Holy Land in 1867, undertook to make the building a "monstrous catechism" to allow parishioners to grasp the Bible through its interior furnishings and decorations. The works, begun in 1869, included the addition of eight side chapels, the destruction of the "low church" in 1876, and the elevation of the bell tower, crowned with an arrow in 1880 according to the plans of engineer Émile Gérard.

The interior of the church is distinguished by its naive decorations and spectacular elements, such as the marble pavements, the carved pulpit, and the chapel-grotte of the Virgin, transformed into a cave of Lourdes during the Interwar period with false rocks in reinforced cement. Father Lecoutre, the master of these transformations, expressed his deep faith in it through both a scholarly and an artistic work. Its influence was such that the church is now regarded as an essential milestone in the genesis of naive Art, which grew in the twentieth century.

The building was listed as historic monuments in 2006, recognizing the heritage value of its 19th century classical exterior architecture and richly decorated interior. Father Lecoutre, born in 1830 and died in 1906, rests at the foot of his church, symbol of his total commitment to his parish and art. Ancient sources, such as the Historical and Archaeological Dictionary of Pas-de-Calais (1882), already highlight his work as a builder, while early twentieth century tourist guides, such as Peeps into Picardy (1914), make it a commendable description.

The protected elements include the entire church, including the entire interior decor and pavement. Among the artisans and masterpieces associated with his transformation are the painter-glassmaker Levêque, the engineer Emile Gérard, and of course Abbé Lecoutre, whose artistic and religious vision has long marked this monument. Today, the church remains a unique testimony of popular religious art and the erudition of a building priest, open to visit and managed by the municipality of Wirwignes.

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