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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame de Vernantes, located in Maine-et-Loire, is a monument dating back to the twelfth century. Its bell tower, of square base, is pierced by ogival windows with triple veins and surmounted by modillons, one of which is carved with a flower of lilies. This bell tower, classified in 1911, is the most remarkable element of the building, which also houses the tomb of the lords of Jalesne, dated the seventeenth century.

In 1215, the church was surrounded by a cemetery with an elm under which solemn assemblies were held. Guillaume des Roches's Charter mentions this location as a place of signature of official documents. In the 19th century, the facade's physiognomy was profoundly altered after a flash damaged the bell tower, destroying the gate and part of the nave. A wooden gallery was then built to compensate for the lack of the building.

In 1867, after years of debate, the city council decided to build a new church in the centre of the town, on the site of the old cemetery. The works, interrupted by the War of 1870-1871, resumed in 1872 and ended in 1877. The old church, partially preserved, then became the town hall. It still contains Plantagenet-style angeline vaults and a crypt housing the coffins of Charles de Jalesnes and the Marquise Éléonore de Maillé-Brézé.

The monument, classified in 1951, underwent several repairs, including in 1911, 1969 and 1974. Despite these interventions, the bell tower remains cracked and requires thorough restoration. The recently dried crypt was restored and the damaged coffins were placed in oak formwork. The tomb hall houses an 18th-century cenotaph, decorated with white marble busts of the lords of Jalesne.

The Church of Notre-Dame de Vernantes thus illustrates centuries of local history, mixing medieval architecture, modern transformations and seigneurial memory. Its bell tower, vaults and tomb make it a precious testimony of the angeline heritage.

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