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Origin and history

The Saint-Romans church of Saint-Romans-lès-Melle, built in the 12th century, is a typical example of Romanesque architecture. Its plan includes a rectangular nave, a semicircular apse and a square bell tower topped by a hexagonal tower. The building, partially fortified with murderers, was damaged during the Wars of Religion and Revolution, but restored several times without altering its original style.

Originally entirely vaulted, the nave lost its vault in the 19th century. The apse, arched in cul-de-four, and the broken cradle choir probably date from the reconstruction of the late twelfth century, as indicated by two inscriptions on the facade. In the 15th century, a polygonal tower with a screw staircase was added, and a bay was pierced in the left side wall. The shields of Jean de Poix (1559) and his daughter Jeanne, visible on the foothills, suggest a restoration during the Wars of Religion.

In the 18th century, members of the seigneurial family were buried in the seigneurial chapel, with relief bearing coats of arms and the date 1720. In 1751 the vault of the apse and the bays of the choir were redone. The church, classified as a historical monument in 1977, underwent major restoration between 1972 and 1980. It maintains defensive elements and traces of the transformations related to its turbulent history, including the damage suffered during religious and revolutionary conflicts.

The village of Saint-Romans-lès-Melle, located in a hilly environment traversed by the Béronne, was a place of important fairs, especially for the trade of mules. The church, linked to local seigneurial history, also reflects the influence of noble families such as the Poix, which marked its architectural evolution. The neighbouring house, built in the 15th century and modified over the centuries, bears witness to this feudal and post-revolutionary history.

The Protestant temple opened in 1846 recalls the religious diversity of the region, while the restored washrooms and halls, given in the 19th century by the Duke of Choiseul-Praslin, evoke past community and economic life. The religious building, still owned by the commune, remains a symbol of the medieval heritage and the local history of the Deux-Sèvres.

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