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Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Léger du Quesnel, located in the Somme department east of Amiens, replaces an earlier building demolished because of its old age. Its construction, initiated in 1858 by Elise Blin de Bourdon, a chestnut from a family allied with Le Fort du Quesnel since 1805, was completed in 1862. The Amienese architect Victor Delefortrie designed the plans and supervised the works. Once finished, the church is offered to the commune by its patron, thus marking its commitment to the local heritage and the community.

The building adopts a neo-Gothic style, characteristic of 19th century religious reconstructions, with a brick structure of imposing dimensions for a rural church: 50 meters long, 18 wide and 17 high vaulted. The bell tower, culminating at 30 meters, is surmounted by an arrow of 20 meters and adorned with carved coats of arms of the Blin de Bourdon family, representing two raised leviers holding a crowned shield. These artistic details, of great anatomical finesse, illustrate the prestige and influence of the sponsoring family.

Inside, the decoration and furniture are the work of the Duthoit brothers, renowned artisans of the time. The main altar, inspired by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, combines cast iron and polychrome wood, with carved columns and a dungeon-shaped tabernacle. The 52 golden capitals of the choir, as well as the statues of the Virgin, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, bear witness to exceptional craftsmanship. Several liturgical objects, including a 16th-century statue of the Virgin and Child and an 18th-century lutrin, are classified as historical monuments, highlighting the heritage richness of the building.

The church also houses an organ built before 1860 by the Basilians of Valloires Abbey, restored in 1885 by Mr. Sandford. In 2021, a wooden statue of Christ, formerly located in the cemetery, was restored and placed in the choir, thus perpetuating the spiritual and artistic vocation of the place. These elements reflect the continuous evolution of the monument, between preservation of the past and contemporary adaptations.

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