Attractions and Places To See around Levesville-La-Chenard - Top 3

Architectural Description The church presents a typical structure of small parishes in the region: • The Facade and Walls: Built in traditional local masonry, the exterior walls incorporate robust buttresses to support the structure at the level of the nave and the chancel. • The Bell Tower: It is surmounted by a traditional bell tower with a slender spire covered in doloires or slates, visible across the surrounding plains. • The Nave and Orientation: The building adopts a simple single-nave plan oriented (the chancel traditionally pointing east). Historical Elements • Medieval Foundations: The first foundations of the rural church date back to the 12th century, part of the wave of Romanesque church construction in the diocese of Chartres. • 16th Century Modifications: The building underwent significant modifications and reconstructions during the 16th century, a period when many churches in Beauce were modernized, enlarged, or restored after the ravages of late medieval conflicts (such as the Hundred Years' War). • Parish Life and Memory: Like many surrounding communes, the church site is historically linked to local memory, preserving nearby monuments and plaques honoring significant events in rural and national history (particularly the Franco-Prussian and World Wars that severely affected the region).

The Church of Saint-Martin de Gommerville (Eure-et-Loir) dates back to the 12th century, the era of its initial foundation in the Romanesque style. Here are the main stages of its history and architectural evolution: The main stages of its construction • 12th century (Origins): Erection of the initial church. From this early Romanesque period, the building notably retains the south transept with a characteristic ribbed vault. In 1180, the patronage of the church was officially ceded to the abbey of Valmont by Robert d'Estouteville. • 18th century: The church underwent significant modifications. The nave, a large part of the crossing tower, and the north transept arm were entirely rebuilt during this period. • 19th century (Renovations): In 1825, the current chancel was built by the stonemason Turquetille (who left an engraved inscription there). Later, in 1844, the architect Brunet-Debaines added the sacristy. The impact of the French Revolution During the Revolution (early 1794), the church suffered from the waves of dechristianization. Its assets, furniture, and pews were seized and sold by the municipality. True to the history of many churches in the region, its bells were taken down and then melted down to manufacture cannons for the revolutionary armies.

The Church of Saint-Martin de Gommerville finds its origins in the 12th century, the era of its initial foundation in the Romanesque style. Here are the main stages of its history and architectural evolution: The main stages of its construction • 12th century (Origins): Erection of the initial church. From this early Romanesque period, the building notably retains the south transept with a characteristic ribbed vault. In 1180, the patronage of the church is officially ceded to the abbey of Valmont by Robert d'Estouteville. • 18th century: The church underwent significant modifications. The nave, a large part of the crossing tower, and the north arm of the transept were entirely rebuilt during this period. • 19th century (Developments): In 1825, the current choir was built by the mason Turquetille (who left an engraved inscription there). Later, in 1844, the architect Brunet-Debaines added the sacristy. The impact of the French Revolution During the Revolution (early 1794), the church suffered the waves of dechristianization. Its goods, furniture, and pews were seized and sold by the commune. True to the history of many churches in the region, its bells were taken down and melted to make cannons for the revolutionary armies.

Ouarville was the seat of a cure priory of the religious of St Jean, dependent on the Chartres Abbey of St Jean en Vallée. The church of St Martin was built around 1150 to house relics brought from Constantinople.

The bell tower and nave were erected in 1150 to house the relics of Saint Martin. The choir and side aisles date from 1519. At the beginning of the 17th century, significant ornamental donations were added, as well as two altars in the side aisles dedicated to Saint Sebastian and the Virgin Mary. Major renovations were carried out in the 19th century: the choir vaults were completely rebuilt in 1859. The stained-glass windows date from 1871. A baptistery outside the building was built to the north of the first bay of the nave. The bays above each altar are built in the neo-Gothic style. The original decoration, dating from the 16th to 18th centuries, consisting of geometric elements in red, yellow, and black, has recently been restored. It is a tempera painting on a sand and lime plaster. It adorns the elevations and the vaults of the two lower sides.

The nave consists of a main nave and an aisle to the north. A bell tower is located to the south, as well as a seigneurial chapel. The choir consists of a straight bay and a semicircular apse. A first church was built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries by Étienne de Denonville. It was modified in the 16th century by Pierre de Hémard. A seigneurial chapel was built shortly after the death of Jacques de Hémard, Lord of Denonville, in 1559. On the old vault, in 1658, one could still see "the coat of arms and blazons of the Hémard family, which are six sable burels, around which are the hat and cords of a cardinal from the family." The vault was rebuilt by the Brisay family in 1722. A project to extend the church was considered in 1755 but never carried out. The north aisle was built in 1770.

today, the castle and its round towers display a singular silhouette in pink brick in the village. Its history dates back to the invasion of the Romans who set up a farm there to supply Rome with wheat. Over the years this farm was fortified then, during the wars of religion, it became a fortified castle surrounded by defensive moats. Raised to the rank of Marquisate by Louis XIV, the castle was abandoned. Very degraded, in 1760, the decision was taken to ask the architect Liégeon to rebuild, on the foundations, a simple residence, integrated into the outbuildings of the thirteenth century. During the revolution, the property was confiscated and then bought back from the National Property.