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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Cauvigny, located in the Oise department in the Hauts-de-France region, finds its origins at least in the eleventh century, as evidenced by the remains integrated in the southern wall of the nave. The present building is mainly the result of two major construction campaigns: one in the 12th century, marked by a Roman octagonal bell tower (circa 1160) and archaic dogid vaults (1140), and the other in the 16th century, where the flamboyant Gothic style dominates, notably in the octagonal choir and side chapels. The bell tower, considered one of the most beautiful regional examples, has a lantern with a stone arrow, while the nave and its northern collateral retain elements from both periods.

The architectural complexity of the church reflects its turbulent history. In the 12th century, Dreux de Mouchy, local lord excommunicated for his conflicts with the Church, restored the patronage of the parish to the chapter of Beauvais in 1130, allowing the expansion of the building. Major changes of the 16th century include the extension of the base of the bell tower, the construction of a luminous choir with vaults adorned with liernes and thirdons, and the addition of side chapels. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1920, the church benefited from complete restorations, although its liturgical use is today occasional, attached to the parish of Saint-Yves-d-Auteuil.

The interior reveals a superimposition of styles: the pillars of the base of the bell tower bear traces of cover in sub-work, while the pseudo-corinthian capitals of the choir, influenced by the Renaissance, contrast with the Romanesque warheads of the northern collateral. On the outside, the octagonal bell tower, with its bays in the middle of the hanger and its beauvaisin cornice, dominates an ensemble where are mixed Gothic foothills and flamboyant filling windows. The classified furniture, like the 16th century baptismal fonts or a painting of the 17th century Annunciation, completes this rich heritage.

The Saint Martin church also illustrates local religious practices: under the Ancien Régime, it depended on the diocese of Beauvais and the Barony of Mouchy-le-Châtel. The Revolution temporarily abolished worship, but the diocese was restored in 1822. Today, the monument, although disused for regular offices, remains a major architectural testimony of Beauvais, combining medieval heritage and Renaissance innovations.

Among the notable features, the choir adopts a unique overpassed plan in the region, while the nave, arched late, retains a modest height close to that of the collateral. The stained glass windows, like the one dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul (1528), now gone, underline the historical importance of the building. Modern restorations have preserved this complex, where each building campaign has left visible traces, offering a stratigraphic reading of nearly five centuries of religious and architectural history.

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