Eglise Saint-Aubin
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Aubin, located in Crevant (Indre), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Crevant, Indre, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 46.4864, 1.9489
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00097332
The Romanesque and Gothic jewel of Berry, Saint-Aubin de Crevant church is built of centuries-old granite around a three-lobed porch adorned with a Renaissance bas-relief and a bell tower with slender arches.
© Wikimedia Commons
History
Nestling in the peaceful village of Crevant, on the borders of the Creuse and Indre departments, the church of Saint-Aubin stands out as one of the most complete architectural testimonies to the Berrichonne countryside. Built of grey granite, that noble, rough material typical of the Massif Central, it offers visitors a stone interpretation of almost eight centuries of religious and seigniorial history. What sets Saint-Aubin apart from the countless other rural churches in France is the generosity of its porch: vast and open on three sides, it precedes a columned portal and houses a remarkably well-crafted 16th-century bas-relief in which Saint John, the Virgin and Child and a third saint stand out under canopies with fleurons and pinnacles of late Gothic elegance. Few village porches are as richly sculpted as this one. The interior reveals the successive strata of a community that constantly enriched its place of worship. The primitive nave, vast and sober, is in dialogue with the leafy capitals of the choir and the vaults rebuilt in the 14th century. On either side, two seigneurial chapels recall the prestige of the noble families who patronised this church, forming discreet sanctuaries within the sanctuary. The visit unfolds at a slow pace, conducive to contemplation. The light filtering through the bell tower's geminated windows creates subtle shadow effects on the paving, while the silence of the surrounding village reinforces the feeling of suspended time. Fans of medieval architecture will appreciate the coherence of the whole despite the successive additions, and photography enthusiasts will find the porch an exceptional setting at any time of day.
Architecture
The church of Saint-Aubin is in the tradition of rural Berrichon Gothic, with its carefully bonded grey granite walls giving it a noble austerity. The original plan, with a single nave and a flat-chest choir, has been enriched over the centuries by the addition of side chapels and aisles, creating a balance between the original sobriety and later seigneurial ambitions. The most remarkable feature of the exterior remains the porch, a vast volume with openwork on three sides that forms a veritable monumental antechamber. Surmounting this porch, the bell tower has two storeys of superimposed arches, the second of which is pierced by four semi-circular windows that provide a welcome visual lightness to the façade as a whole. This sober, slender design is typical of religious architecture in medieval Berry. Inside, the capitals of the choir, adorned with foliage, are the first decorative focus, while the bas-relief in the porch, with its three saints under canopies with finials and pinnacles, illustrates the local sculptural production of the 16th century. The vaults of the nave, rebuilt in the 14th century, and the two seigneurial chapels arranged symmetrically on either side of the main axis, complete a layered interior in which each century has left its mark.
Related Figures
Saint Aubin d'Angers — évêque du VIe siècle auquel l'église est dédiée, figure tutélaire du lieu de culteSeigneurs locaux de Crevant (XIIIe siècle) — commanditaires présumés de la nef primitive et du chœur originelFamille noble fondatrice de la chapelle sud (fin XVe siècle) — mécènes de l'extension seigneuriale méridionaleDonateurs de la chapelle seigneuriale nord (XVIIe siècle) — commanditaires des quatre travées de bas-côtésSculpteur anonyme du bas-relief (XVIe siècle) — auteur du programme iconographique du porcheInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (1926) — responsables de la reconnaissance et de la protection officielle de l'édifice
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Aubin located?
Eglise Saint-Aubin is located in Crevant, Indre department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Aubin built?
Eglise Saint-Aubin dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Aubin open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Aubin is currently closed to visitors.