Eglise Saint Martin de Glaire – Villette

The chancel of Saint-Martin Church dates from around 1200 and was restored in 1519, as indicated by an inscription engraved and painted on one of the chancel vaults (a similar inscription can be found in the church of Donchery). The nave was rebuilt in 1769. The murals covering the nave walls date from the second half of the 19th century. Originally, it was probably a castle chapel, as it is located in the immediate vicinity of Villette Castle. During the First World War, the occupying forces removed a bell dating from 1468.
The Church of Saint Martin is located in the center of the village. It has an elongated plan. The single-nave church is followed by a square chancel with a flat apse. The timber-framed bell tower is situated at the ridge of the nave, on the west side. A spiral staircase provides access to an organ loft. The building is constructed of limestone rubble with dressed stone quoins, except for the west facade, which is entirely built of large dressed stones. The interior walls are plastered, and the floor is paved with limestone. The building has only one level, pierced by large basket-handle arched windows in the nave and small lancet windows in the chancel. The nave has a flat ceiling, and the chancel has a ribbed vault. The west facade is adorned with four Tuscan pilasters framing the portal, which is surmounted by a niche. The entire roof is covered in slate. The nave and the choir are covered by a long-sloping roof with an exposed gable, and the bell tower by a polygonal spire.