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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Follainville-Dennemont, located in the Yvelines in Île-de-France, is a building whose origins date back to the 12th century, although its north side bell tower dates back to the late 11th century. This bell tower, in a frugal Romanesque style, is surmounted by a second floor of belfry in the twelfth century in an emerging Gothic style. The present church consists mainly of a vast single vessel, rebuilt after the Hundred Years' War in a sober Renaissance style, with a choir completed in 1561, date of his solemn consecration by Bishop Denis Paris, Bishop of Avelonne. Romanesque remains, such as the base of the vaulted bell tower and an adjacent span vaulted in a cradle, bear witness to the early medieval church, of basilical plane.

The parish of Follainville, mentioned since 1081 when a donation was made by Hildoin, Viscount of Mantes, to the Abbey of Bec-Hellouin, was initially made by the priory of Sainte-Anne de Gassicourt, then by the Abbey of Saint-Wandrille de Fontenelle. In the 13th century, the snack passed to the Archbishop of Rouen, and the parish was integrated into the Archdiocese of Rouen until the Revolution. The neighbouring hamlet of Dennemont, dependent on Follainville for taxes but Saint-Martin-la-Garenne for worship, was the subject of disputes between the parish priests. After the Revolution, Follainville was attached to the diocese of Versailles, and his church, now affiliated with the parish of Limay-Vexin, received monthly Masses.

The building underwent several transformations, notably in the 18th century, where the nave was retouched and Tuscan columns added for aesthetic reasons. The bell tower and the adjoining span, inscribed in the historic monuments in 1927, were restored in the 1980s to their original state. A major restoration campaign at the beginning of the 21st century, financed by the State, the Department, and local associations, allowed the renovation of the roof, stained glass windows, and furniture. Among the remarkable elements are a 12th or 13th century bentier, a painting by Paul Albert Laurens (1927) representing the Charity of St.Martin, and statues of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The interior architecture, sober, is characterized by a flat walled ceiling and walls with ochre tones, while the exterior reveals irregularities related to the different construction campaigns. The north wall preserves traces of the ancient Roman side down, like a clogged arcade and tearing away from a dripper wall. The choir, devoid of foothills, presents Renaissance-shaped windows and doric pilasters, evoking a transition to classicism. The bell tower, with its belfry floor open with third-point bays, remains the oldest and most emblematic element of the building.

The church furniture includes classified or inscribed pieces, such as the commemorative plaque of the dedication of 1561, a 16th century stained glass window depicting the Charity of St.Martin, and statues of Saints in limestone of the 16th and 17th centuries. These elements, combined with the enlivened parish history and successive restorations, make the Church of St.Martin a precious testimony to the architectural and religious evolution of the French Vexin, from the Romanesque period to the present day.

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