Saint Marcellin Church of Névache

The church of Saint-Marcellin, located in the heart of the hamlet of Ville-Haute, was built in 1490 at the instigation of Charles VIII during a pilgrimage to Notre-Dame d'Embrun, in the midst of a period of religious reorganization following the severe plague epidemic that swept through Europe in the 15th century. The church was first called Saint-Pélade, before taking the name of Embrun's first bishop: Saint-Marcellin. The inscriptions "Karolus 1498" and "Anno Domini 1490" on the pine doors of the church attest to this date of construction, but it would appear that the church was built on the site of a much older edifice... The "Castrum de Navaschia", the residence of the lords of Névache - which in its early days resembled more a motte castrale than a castle - was most probably first situated on the rocky promontory (la Tarroche) overlooking the hamlet of Ville-Haute, and was later rebuilt on the site of the present-day Église Saint-Marcellin. The two-bay, rib-vaulted nave and choir are supported by the tower of this former 11th-century manor house, which now serves as the church tower. The bell tower was originally used as a prison, and later as an archive warehouse during the French Revolution. One of the stones of the south portal bears the signature of the King's architect, Rémy Fantin, in the form of a musical rebus composed of three notes: D, E, F, followed by the letters TIN and topped by a crown (this signature is also found on the Church of Saint-Michel in Cervières). The pine doors, magnificently carved with Gothic interlacing and pleated drapery, have been listed as a Monument Historique since 1906. Wonderfully well preserved, they feature the Karolus 1498 inscriptions mentioned above, scenes from the Gospel and portraits of Saint-Marcellin and Saint-Antoine. The south face of the bell tower overlooking the cemetery is decorated with a 19th-century sundial by the famous sundial maker Giovani Francesco Zarbula from the Bardonnéche valley on the other side of the Col de l'Echelle. The entire church was listed in 1914. If you'd like to take part in the restoration of these religious buildings, or simply get in touch with people who are passionate about religious heritage, please don't hesitate to contact the Association des Amis du patrimoine religieux de Névache.