Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste

English translation

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History

A first building was constructed at the end of the 11th century to house the relics of saint Thibault, born in Provins around 1030 and died in Vicence in 1066, who is said to have appeared to a peasant on one of the hills neighbouring Lagny-sur-Marne. Arnoul, brother of saint Thibault and abbot of Lagny-sur-Marne, had a priory of Benedictine monks built to welcome pilgrims who soon began to flock there because of miracles attributed to the relics. The village of Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes was constituted around this priory. A parish was established in the 16th century, and the priory church then became parochial. This transformation led to works: the round arch separating the nave from the choir was transformed into a pointed arch, the vault of the choir was raised, and larger openings cut through. The priory church that became parochial then changed its dedication to formally take the name of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. The most common name for the church nonetheless remains linked to the name of the commune. During the 18th century, the decline of the cult of saint Thibault led to a certain neglect of the church. In 1749, an order of the King's Council authorized a partial destruction of the church due to its poor state. In 1756, the two aisles of the nave are demolished and in 1777 the two first bays of the nave and the western mass are demolished. A new entrance is built. The west façade was then recomposed by the creation of a masonry filling under the double arch that separated the original nave in two parts. Similarly, the arcades of the aisle were probably filled, perhaps completely concealing the sculpted Romanesque capitals which seem to have been rediscovered during the 1970 works. In 1888, a new decoration, much more elaborate than the first, is realized on the western façade. Made of plaster and lime with complex mouldings with false arcatures and blind openings, this ornamental addition, however, did not last long since in 1923, only thirty-six years later, it was demolished as completely ruined. The western buttresses were reduced in height around 1923. In 1943, four reinforced concrete flying buttresses were built at the chevet. The covering of the roofs and walls were at the same time largely consolidated. A restoration took place from 1969 to 1973. On this occasion, the clearance of the numerous 19th-century alterations made it possible to rediscover and begin to enhance the precious Romanesque remains.

Description

Of the building from the Romanesque period, only half of the nave remains, two bays with two storeys (great arcades and high windows), the choir composed of one bay and a semi-circular apse, and the much-altered bell tower situated at the end of the old north aisle. The church presents throughout its height a herringbone pattern of stone, with the exception of the bell tower, built of rough rubble stone. The arches, the piers, and the frames of the openings are of medium-sized stone. The main vessel is timber-framed, today covered with a ceiling, the straight bay of the choir is vaulted in barrel vault and the apse in cul-de-four. The unity of construction suggests the erection in a single campaign of works, which was confirmed by the study of the sculpture of the capitals by Marie-Hélène Didier in 1985.