St. Denis Church, Crépy-en-Valois

The church of Saint-Denis is a Catholic parish church located in Crépy-en-Valois, in the Oise department, in the Hauts-de-France region. It probably replaces the castle chapel of Gautier II de Vexin, which dates back to the early eleventh century. The oldest part of the current church is the Romanesque nave, not vaulted, which can be dated from the second quarter of the XIIth century. The transept, which reflects the transition to the Gothic style, is hardly younger, and has some characteristic capitals from the middle of the 12th century. During the siege of Crépy in 1434, the church was damaged. The aisles were rebuilt after the middle of the 15th century, and a dedication ceremony was celebrated in 1457. Much later, between 1544 and 1573, the old chancel was replaced by a large flamboyant gothic ensemble, with three parallel vessels vaulted to a height of 13.50 m, and a five-sided apse. The church became a building of considerable dimensions, measuring 52 m in length and 22.60 m in width, excluding the work. During the French Revolution, the parish of Saint-Denis was one of the two of the three parishes in the city that were suppressed, and the church was sold as national property in May 1792. It was requisitioned as a fodder store. However, the purchasers of the church were three inhabitants who wished to preserve it, and gave it to the parish free of charge at the end of 1802. The sale and demolition of the collegiate church of Saint-Thomas, closed since 1799 because of its dilapidation, is unfortunately the indirect consequence. The church of Saint-Denis was refurbished thanks to donations from the faithful. It received a new façade in 1844, and a new bell tower topped with an elegant stone spire in 1852. The church of Saint-Denis was listed as a historical monument by order of November 29, 1977. It is now the main place of worship of the parish of Saint-Sébastien de Crépy-en-Valois, which covers seventeen municipalities, and Sunday masses are celebrated there every Sunday at 11:00 am.