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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Église Saint-Paxent

Massay, Cher, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, classified (classé)
Protection
classé MH
Extent of protection
Voir notice PA00096834 : ancienne abbaye Saint-Martin
Protection dates
1911/07/13 : classé MH
Type
église
Main period of construction
12e siècle, 14e siècle, 15e siècle, 16e siècle
Ownership
propriété de la commune
Commune
Massay
Département
Cher
Region
Centre-Val de Loire
Country
France
Coordinates
47.15137, 1.99265
Mérimée reference
PA00096836

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1761 map "10 Bourges." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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This record on the Ministère de la Culture's POP platform ↗

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

L'église faisait partie de l'ancienne abbaye Saint-Martin et est devenue paroissiale en 1739, après la disparition de la communauté en 1735. Elle se compose d'un vaisseau unique se terminant par un chevet pentagonal. En avant de la nef, sur la face ouest, se trouve une tour carrée comprenant trois étages au-dessus du rez-de-chaussée qui forme porche d'entrée à l'église. La nef et le choeur sont couverts par une charpente apparente lambrissée. Le porche est voûté en ogive avec nervures. L'édifice fut en partie reconstruit au 14e siècle, y compris le chevet, en conservant et utilisant les constructions du 12e siècle. C'est sans doute au cours de cette deuxième phase de travaux que les voûtes du porche primitif ont disparu, ainsi qu'une tribune. Vers la fin du 15e siècle, la tour occidentale fut construite (1493). Les galeries et balustrades du dernier étage, ainsi que l'étage lui-même, appartiennent au début du 16e siècle. Une balustrade aujourd'hui détruite couronnait l'entablement de l'église.

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

The church was part of the old abbey of Saint-Martin and became parochial in 1739, after the disappearance of the community in 1735. It consists of a single vessel ending in a pentagonal chevet. In front of the nave, on the west face, is found a square tower comprising three storeys above the ground floor which forms a porch entrance to the church. The nave and choir are covered by an exposed lambrissed roof structure. The porch is barrel vaulted in ogive with ribs. The building was partly rebuilt in the 14th century, including the chevet, preserving and using the constructions of the 12th century. It is probably during this second phase of work that the vaults of the primitive porch disappeared, as did a gallery. Towards the end of the 15th century, the western tower was constructed (1493). The galleries and balustrades of the top storey, as well as the storey itself, belong to the beginning of the 16th century. A balustrade today destroyed crowned the entablature of the church.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Base Mérimée, Ministère de la Culture, data last updated 2026-09-17, reused under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab). Record text is reproduced unchanged. Ministère de la Culture · Licence Ouverte 2.0
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