Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Petit-Niort is an ancient parish church located in Mirambeau, Charente-Maritime. This monument is distinguished by its north wall of the nave in small apparatus, typical of the pre-Roman period, and a bay in the middle of a hanger with a claustrum, a rare openwork stone window in the area. These elements suggest an ancient origin, where glass was reserved for the most affluent parishes. The vaulted crypt in cradle, a rough architecture, confirms this early dating.

The building, originally dependent on Savigny Abbey in Normandy, was partially rebuilt between the 11th and 12th centuries in the Saintongese Romanesque style. Its façade features a unique five-piece portal and a double cord, topped by arches and modillons. In the 15th century, major changes were made, perhaps because of the damage of the Hundred Years' War or the wear of time: the choir was reworked and a collateral of the Virgin was added to the south, adorned with bays with flamboyant gothic remplage (buffets and specks).

At the Revolution, the church was converted into a forage barn before returning to its religious function in 1815. Its bronze bell, dated 1631, has been listed as a historic monument since 1911. The entire building was classified in 2002 and restored under the direction of Philippe Villeneuve, chief architect of historical monuments. Today, it is open to the public and bears witness to almost a millennium of architectural and religious history.

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