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Origin and history

The church of Saint Vincent de Vernoil-le-Fourrier came into being in the 11th century, when Geoffroy Fulcrade the old, local lord, donated it to the Abbess Richilde du Ronceray d'Angers between 1073 and 1103. This gesture, confirmed by his son Geoffroy Fulcrade the young man before his departure in the crusade, marks the beginning of his religious history. The papal bubbles of Calixte II (1123) and Adrien IV (1158) attest to his attachment to the Abbey of Mauléon, although the nuns of the Ronceray claimed ownership of it around 1170 through an intervention by Pope Alexander III. The destruction of Mauléon's cartrier prevented the exact date of its construction, but elements such as the shields of the keys of doubles suggested a 14th century vault.

Architectural analysis reveals a nave of the 11th century, partially preserved (south and west walls), with capitals typical of the first angeline warheads (1160-1170). The south arm of the transept, dating from the first half of the 12th century, is reinforced in the second half by foothills to support vaults. A bell tower, raised in the late 12th or early 13th century, collapsed during the Hundred Years War, requiring reconstruction in the 15th century, probably financed by the Duke of Anjou. The work then includes the vault of the cross, the north wall, the nave panelling, and the north cross.

The vicissitudes continued with the collapse of the arrow in 1711, destroying part of the frame, the panelling, and three bells. The southern arch of the transept was consolidated in 1699, while major restorations took place in the 19th century, as evidenced by the 1861 estimate and the 1868 accounts of architect Ernest Piette. The church, classified as a historical monument in 1969, thus illustrates a turbulent history, between seigneurial gifts, religious conflicts, and successive reconstructions.

The church property oscillates between the Ronceray and Mauléon abbeys until the 18th century, reflecting medieval ecclesiastical tensions. The remaining elements, such as the south wall or the south arm of the transept, offer a rare testimony of the Romanesque architecture, while the Gothic additions and subsequent repairs highlight its adaptation to historical hazards. Today, it remains a communal heritage open to the public, symbol of the architectural and spiritual resilience of the region.

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