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Origin and history

The church Saint-Michel-et-Saint-Vaast de Catenoy, located in the Oise region of Hauts-de-France, is one of the oldest religious buildings in Beauvais. Built at the end of the 11th century for its transept, central bell tower and choir, it illustrates Romanesque architecture with elements such as a tower-lantern and cradle vaults. The façade, which was added in the middle of the 12th century, reflects the climax of the Romanesque style, with a portal decorated with six windows and broken sticks, among the most elaborate in the region.

In the 13th century, Gothic modifications transformed the nave: four large, elegant arcades connect the north side, while the base of the bell tower is vaulted with dogives. The windows of the transept's crucifixes are pierced in a radiant or flamboyant style, depending on the eras. Since then, the church has retained traces of its medieval history, such as plated arches and carved capitals, despite the deterioration reported at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Ranked a historical monument in 1913, the church houses remarkable furniture, including 13th century baptismal fonts, a 14th century Virgin with Child attributed to a Parisian workshop, and a 16th century statue of St Michael. Its bell tower, among the first with gemini windows of the region, and its carved facade make it an exceptional testimony of late Romanesque art and of the transition to gothic.

The parish of Catenoy, dependent on the bishopric of Beauvais from the 11th century, was a place of episcopal power, with a house transformed into a castle near the church. In the Middle Ages, it also housed a priory of the order of St.Antoine, whose church, disused of the Revolution, partially remains. Today, the building, integrated into the parish of the Heart of Christ in Clermont, remains an occasional place of worship and a major heritage site.

The interior, sober but authentic, reveals glazed ceilings, Gothic arcades and Romanesque vaults, including a rare vaulted arch in the choir. Subsequent changes, such as the enlargement of windows or the addition of a sacristy, did not alter its medieval character. The descriptions of the early 20th century highlight its state of degradation, now improved, while preserving its authenticity.

Outside, the façade and bell tower dominate architecture. The facade, made of cut stone, has a portal with geometric and floral décor, while the bell tower, with its geminied berries and carved cornice, bears witness to Norman influences. The cruises, without foothills to the south but reinforced to the north, complement this harmonious ensemble, anchored in the village landscape.

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