Église Notre-Dame de Marissel, Beauvais

Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Church is a Catholic parish church located in Marissel, in the commune of Beauvais, Oise, Hauts-de-France, France. The facade and the lateral elevations of the nave and aisles suggest a large building in the flamboyant Gothic style, but if the height and width of the nave are indeed generous, it is very short, and abuts on the east against a Romanesque bell tower not visible from the west, which is surrounded by several bays built between the mid-twelfth and mid-thirteenth centuries. The cul-de-four apse at the chevet of the north aisle is none other than the apse of the previous Romanesque church. The two-bay chapel that occupies the site of the northern crossing dates back to the beginning of Gothic architecture, while the southern crossing and the small choir with a flat chevet are the result of two different campaigns in the first half of the 13th century, which seem to have dragged on judging by the stylistic difference between the carcass and the vaults with their supports. The connection between the choir and the apsidal chapel and the chapel of the southern crossing that frame it is not very happy, because the two lateral arcades of the choir do not open directly onto the adjacent bays, and because of the narrowness of the base of the bell tower, the sanctuary is practically not visible from the nave of the faithful. Therefore, the total reconstruction of the eastern parts was considered in the second half of the 16th century, and began with the extension of the large arcades to the east within the old bays, without demolishing them. The lack of resources, however, forced an interruption of the work at the end of the 17th century. The eastern parts of the church of Notre-Dame, left untouched, are today an interesting testimony of the successive reconstruction methods used in the past, while the nave seduces by its beautiful volume, the lightness of its architecture and the coherence of its modenature. The church of Marissel was classified as a historical monument by order of June 13, 1913, and is now affiliated with the parish of Beauvais-Nord. Sunday masses are celebrated there from July to December only, at 9:30 am. A mass according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite is also offered every Sunday, except in winter.