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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Simplician Church, located in Terranjou (Maine-et-Loire), is a religious building dating back to the 12th century. It is closely associated with the Martigné-Briand castle, built between 1490 and 1520, whose defensive device it strengthens. Its bedside, adjacent to the gate, and its role as a wall to the north of the courtyard make it a key element of the castral architecture. Subterraneans connected the seigneurial house to the church, highlighting this functional integration.

In the 19th century, the church underwent major changes under the direction of the diocesan architect René Eugène Dusouchay. The works, carried out between 1864 and 1874, transformed his appearance with the addition of an immense bell tower. Despite these changes, some medieval elements remain: the hemi-circular choir with mâchicoulis, the 13th century bell tower, and the apse with paintings probably dated from the 18th century. These remains bear witness to the architectural evolutions and successive uses of the building.

The Saint-Simplicitian Church, which is classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 12 May 2015, illustrates the duality between religious function and defensive role, characteristic of many medieval buildings in Anjou. Its precise location, in the immediate vicinity of the castle (2 Avenue du Château, Martigné-Briand), and its integration into the castral landscape make it a remarkable example of the Ligerian heritage, marked by the redevelopments of the nineteenth century.

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