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Origin and history

The church Saint-Hilaire de Saint-Hilaire-des-Loges came into being in the sixth century, during the reign of Childebert I, with a first Merovingian church built around 540 near the current halls. This modest place of worship, dedicated to Saint Hilaire de Poitiers, served a developing local community around the Autize River. The official foundation of the parish dates back to 980, when William IV of Aquitaine, Duke of Poitiers, consecrated the church to Saint Hilaire, affirming his authority over local lords with the support of Bishop Gilbert of Poitiers. This political gesture marked the birth of the village, first mentioned in 989 as Burgus Hilarius Super Altizam, reflecting the growing importance of the site.

In the 11th century, the Romanesque church, then composed of three naves and a transept, did not protrude, obtained in 1070 key rights such as burial, thanks to its attachment to the canons of Poitiers to escape the influence of the Duke of Aquitaine and the Abbey of Maillezais. The octagonal dome under the bell tower and the north wall, still visible today, date from this period. In 1151, King Louis VII stopped there when he returned from crusade. The Gothic choir and foothills were added in the 12th century, while the village prospered through trade and textile crafts, including drugs, attracting an easy population.

The wars of Religion are radically changing the history of the place. In the 16th century, Saint-Hilaire-sur-l From 1569 to 1579, Catholic worship was forbidden, and the church choir was destroyed by Protestants. Despite the edict of Nantes in 1598, tensions persisted: Catholics regained control in 1632, restoring the choir and demolishing the Protestant temple in 1634. The dragonnades and the death sentence of three Protestants in 1683 illustrate the violence of this period.

After the conflicts, the church underwent major renovations: the vaults and windows were restored in 1769, the Romanesque bell tower was replaced in 1858, and dogive crosses covered the naves in 1875. In 1926, it was listed as a historical monument. The stained glass windows, installed in 1934 by the Razin workshops in Nantes, and the ancient altar complete its present heritage. Today, it belongs to the parish of Sainte-Claire in Fontenay, in the diocese of Luçon, bearing witness to almost 15 centuries of religious and architectural history.

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