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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame de Délance du Quillio, located in the Côtes-d'Armor in Brittany, is a religious building whose oldest parts date back to the early 16th century, while the majority of the present structure dates back to the 18th century. Before the Revolution, it was an annex to the parish of Merléac and housed a renowned Marian pilgrimage. Its architecture combines a Latin cross plan, a polygonal bedside, and a polygonal bell tower to the west. The south facade and porch, dated from the 16th century, contrast with the nave, tower and choir, rebuilt in 1733, 1751 and 1791 respectively. The church is surrounded by a placister to the south, typical of Breton parish enclosures.

The history of the church is marked by its link with the family of Rohan, visible in the carved weapons of the north transept and the private chapel rebuilt around 1510-1520. This chapel, the only vaulted space, houses a rare liturgical credence and an armored door protecting access to the treasure chamber. The porch-calvary, built around 1460-1470, and the southern chapel, dated 1486-1487, testify to the beautification campaigns carried out under John II of Rohan. In the 18th century, the church underwent major changes, including the construction of the bell tower in 1751 and a new bedside in 1791 to accommodate the furniture of the Abbey of Bon Repos.

Partially classified as historical monuments since 1986, the church retains remarkable elements such as painted decorations from the 17th and 19th centuries, including those rediscovered in 2017 in the southern chapel. Among them, a rare representation of the pregnant Virgin, dating back to the 1500s, adorns the eastern wall of this chapel. The calvary of the enclosures, erected around 1530, and the wrought iron gate of 1773, signed by blacksmith G. Ourry, complete this architectural ensemble. The restorations of the 19th and 20th centuries, especially those of 1920-1921 and the 1980s, have preserved this heritage, now owned by the municipality of Quillio.

The cemetery cross, classified in 1912, retains only its base dating from 1767, while the church itself was classified in 1986 for its historical and architectural interest. The interior decoration campaigns, such as the neo-Gothic altarpieces of Paul Guibé (1865-1868) or Victor Boner's painting (1936) adorning the choir, illustrate the artistic and religious evolution of the monument. The materials used, granite for the south facade and shale for the north chapel, reflect local resources and Breton construction techniques of medieval and modern times.

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