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Origin and history

The church Saint-Vincent-du-Temple of Port-Sainte-Marie, located in the Lot-et-Garonne department, was built by the Templars of the Commandery of Argentens in the thirteenth century. The eastern part, the oldest, is built of brick and consists of three spans completed by a flat bedside. An extension westward, after 1274, takes on a more complex style of stone, with vaulted columns of dogives. The work was interrupted in 1298 after an exchange of goods with the priory of the Paravis, marking the end of the templar influence on the site.

The church was originally dedicated to St.Antoine before being placed under the name of St.Vincent in 1609, when parish service was transferred from the former St.Vincent church, then in ruins. In the 18th century, a western gate was added, and modifications took place in the 19th century, including the destruction of a southern building for the construction of a railway. Disused in 1882, it was restored in 1938, revealing remarkable architectural elements like carved arch keys (a mystical Lamb and a knight in arms).

Conflicts between the Templars and local institutions, such as the priory of Paravis or the parish of Notre-Dame, marked its history. In 1271 and 1293 disputes over land rights and cemeteries were brought against the parties, resulting in arbitrations and the final exchange of property in 1298. After the departure of the Templars, the church fell into disuse before being partially restored in the seventeenth and twentieth centuries. Ranked a historic monument in 1908, it now bears witness to the medieval architectural and religious heritage in Agenais.

The structure of the church is distinguished by its unusual plan for the order of the Temple, combining a square nave to the west and a rectangular choir to the east. The bell tower, integrated into the northern collateral, has two floors and a murated arcade forming a pronaos. The partially modified windows retain traces of their original "T" layout. The materials used (brick for the eastern part, stone for the west) and the carved decorations (like the knight's vault key) reflect the stylistic influences of the thirteenth century and the original ambitions of the Templar builders.

The gradual abandonment of the church after 1298 and the destructions associated with the Hundred Years War aggravate its state. In the 16th century, it even served as a stable, and its cemetery was invaded by cattle. Despite attempts at restoration ordered by the Bishop of Agen in 1551, the building remained abandoned until its parish reassignment in 1609. The White Penitents took possession of it after the Revolution, before its permanent decommissioning in 1882. The restorations of the 20th century preserved its medieval characteristics, making it a rare testimony of Templar architecture in Aquitaine.

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