Of Romanesque foundation, the church of Saint-Maurice-lès-Charencey, dedicated to Saint Maurice, was remodeled at the end of the Middle Ages and then extensively renovated in the 19th century. It consists of a nave of four bays ending in a semicircular apse. This nave constitutes the oldest part of the building onto which several elements were grafted to the north. The building is indeed flanked on this side by a side aisle opening onto the nave by a series of large arches with a broken profile. This side aisle, the first bay of which serves as the base of the bell tower, opens onto the north arm of a transept of which only this part was built or remains. Its construction probably predates that of the side aisle, as would tend to prove, thanks to the careful examination of the framework, the presence of an old valley ridge, visible under the current roof. During the Restoration, the church's western façade was completely rebuilt; the current bell tower, likely erected in place of an older one, belongs to this same renovation project, which can be dated to 1821 according to an inscription inserted in the gable wall. Finally, a sacristy was built later in the northeast corner of the building, against the apse and the transept arm.
Constructed of rubble stone covered in some parts with an old lime render, and in others with a hydraulic binder-based render that was quite unsightly and would eventually deteriorate, it rests on a basement partially uncovered during the work on the western façade. Its current slate roof does not appear to be original: the church was once covered with flat tiles.
Several types of bays bear witness to the successive interventions in the building: the choir retains three examples of small, semicircular bays made of Grison stone, two of which were partially walled up during the installation of the great high altar and altarpiece in the choir. The workmanship of the other bays pierced in the south wall, with their broken profiles and brick frames, testifies to 19th-century work. As for the stones and limestone latticework of the large window, of fine quality, with flamboyant tracery that illuminates the north arm of the transept, they show worrying alterations.
While the exterior of the church attracts little attention—its unfinished and rather unsightly surroundings contribute to this—the interior presents a rich and interesting decoration. Indeed, the nave is covered by a beautiful, high-volume, paneled timber vault with a broken profile, the entire surface of which is decorated with stencils with highlights of red, blue-gray, and black. The hallmarks and tie beams are carved and painted. Emblazoned engolante heads decorate the central sections of the tie beams. The choir vault features a particularly elaborate blue scrollwork decoration, probably reworked in the 19th century, but of high decorative quality. The choir is occupied by a substantial high altar with a reredos, with three sides, which therefore does not follow the curve of the masonry and conceals the roof posts decorated with Ionic pilasters. The central panel, crowned by a pointed pediment, is framed by side panels with triangular pediments. Niches, pilasters with Corinthian capitals, and obelisks complete this work. The aisle is also covered by a paneled vault decorated with painted red, gray-blue, and black bands, with white festoons and plant motifs.
For masonry, framework and roofing work, the Sauvegarde de l’Art français granted a grant of €18,294 in 2001.
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