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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens de Médis, founded in the 12th century, was initially a priory dependent on the abbey of the Ladies of Saintes, then on the chapter of Saint-Eutrope. Its Romanesque portal, completed in 1103, and its Gothic choir reflect its medieval origins. The bells were confiscated in 1548 by Anne de Montmorency to suppress the revolt of the pitauds, marking her involvement in the religious disturbances of the Saintonge.

In the 16th century, the Wars of Religion severely damaged the building: the cure was destroyed in 1565, and the nave even served as a dump until 1849. A first restoration in the 17th century, considered insufficient, left the church at risk. In 1836, public subsidies allowed emergency work, followed by a major reconstruction in 1858, including the suppression of the medieval bell tower despite the protests of the parish priest Lacurie.

The Second World War aggravated the damage: the vaults of the nave and the north crusillon were punctured by bombs, forcing the offices to stand in the crypt until 1946. Ranked a historic monument that same year, the church benefited from a restoration until 1950, then roof repairs in 1986. Its heterogeneous architecture, combining Romanesque, Gothic and modern additions, bears witness to this troubled history.

The western facade, decorated with medieval sculptures (palmettes, fantastic animals), contrasts with the gable and bell tower added in the 19th century. The nave retains its Romanesque arcades, while the Gothic choir, raised on an crypt, is illuminated by a lancet bay. The traces of the small door murated near the crypt recall its exclusive use in the seventeenth century, when the nave was in ruins.

The burials of the lords and priests of Media, formerly located in the sanctuary, have disappeared. Today a communal property, the church remains a symbol of Saintongeese religious heritage, marked by conflicts, reconstructions and remarkable architectural resilience.

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