Église Saint-Gildard

The Saint-Gildard church is a Catholic parish church located in Longuesse, France. It was, under the Ancien Régime, one of the many possessions of the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Its construction dates back to the end of the 12th century, as far as the choir and the transept crossing are concerned, which are of Gothic style and of considerable dimensions for a small village. The architecture of these bays is careful and of a refined sobriety. The church of Saint-Gildard was conceived to become one of the most prestigious churches of the French Vexin. However, the building was never completed, and probably also deprived of the two crosspieces of the transept during the Hundred Years War. They were replaced by chapels in the flamboyant and Renaissance periods, during the years 1520 / 1530 and from the middle of the 16th century. The bell tower dates from the same period, and is of such simplicity that it appears as a temporary construction. The base of the bell tower occupies one half of the only bay of the nave that was built, or rebuilt. In this way, the church of Saint-Gildard does not have a façade. Its eastern parts are however remarkable enough to justify its classification as a historical monument by decree of 31 May 1910. Longuesse is now affiliated with the parish of Avernes et Marines, and the church of Saint-Gildard now hosts only three or four Sunday masses per year.