Very near Lévis in the Quebec City region, the village of Beaumont perches on a promontory overlooking the St. Lawrence River. This village is home to a large number of buildings with the architecture of the French Regime. A historic jewel, the Église Saint-Étienne de Beaumont plunges us into the past. It stands as a testimonial to the skill of the builders and tradespeople of New France.
The Seigneurie de Beaumont was ceded by Intendant Jean Talon to Charles Couillard on November 3, 1672. The Parish of Saint-Étienne, which had been populated since 1680, was erected in 1692 by Monsignor Jean-Baptiste de Lacroix de Chevrières de Saint-Vallier, Bishop of Quebec City.
| Charles Couillard Charles Couillard of Islets and Beaumont, settler, was born in Quebec City in 1647. First seigneur of Beaumont (1672), he was the son of Guillaume Couillard and the grandson of Louis Hébert. He died in Beaumont, in 1715. Close this window |
| Monsignor de Saint-Vallier Jean-Baptiste de Lacroix de Chevrières de Saint-Vallier was born in Grenoble in 1653. After being ordained as a priest, he served as the curate for Monsignor Laval de Montmorency (first bishop of Quebec Cit, and was later appointed the bishop of Quebec City, from 1688 to 1727. He founded the Hôpital général de Québec. An excessive man, he was on bad terms with Governors Frontenac and Callière, the army, the Récollets and the Jesuits. He refused to allow Molière’s Tartuffe to be played in Quebec City. He had so many enemies that no one made any effort to release him when he was captured and imprisoned in English for five years. He died in Quebec City in 1727. Close this window |
In 1721, the church was in very poor condition. On June 2 of that same year, Nicolas-Joseph Chasle, parish priest, presided over a meeting of the people of Beaumont to debate the future of the dilapidated building. Should the church be repaired or should a new one be built? Those who attended the meeting chose the second option, as long as the new church was made of stone. They wanted a solid church, but they also wanted to make the most of the money granted by the king to build churches and presbyteries. The Bishop of Quebec City only allocated that money to those who built in stone.
| Father Chasle Nicolas-Joseph Chasle was born in lower Quebec City on February 18, 1694. After completing his studies in his home town, he was ordained as a priest on February 1717 by Monsignor de Saint-Vallier, the second bishop of Quebec City. Between January and October 1718, he served the Parish of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière then later served as the parish priest for Saint-Étienne de Beaumont. Close this window |
The construction of the Église Saint-Étienne de Beaumont was laborious. Work didn’t start until 1726. In 1732, the bishop had to intervene since it looked as if the work would never end. The church finally opened its door for worship in 1736. When Father Chasle died in the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Quebec City, he was buried in that very church.
Initially, the church was built according to the Maillou plan. Moreover, Jean Maillou even took part in the construction. The church has no transept or vestry and its nave ends in a semi-circular choir. Although it has undergone several modifications over time, a glance at the building from the south side gives us a good idea of what the church looked like at the start of the XVIIIth century.
| Maillou Plan Plan attributed to a design by Jean Maillou, architect and master mason. He simplified the Jesuit plan, resulting a relatively small church with low walls. The building was simple; the choir, the same size as the rectangular nave, was closed in a semi-circle. No transept or nave. Close this window |
Several major changes were made at the end of the XIXth century. In 1870, a new bell was installed. This bell, which was torn off by the wind, fell on the front steps in 1922. When it had to be replaced, the parish took the opportunity to extend the church at the front. The façade is made of cut stone.
At the beginning of the XIXth century, the interior décor was designed in the style of the Quévillon workshop. Since the church had no transept, an altarpiece covers to entire sanctuary to separate it from the nave.
| Quévillon Louis-Amable Quévillon was a sculptor, a master carpenter and an architect who was born in 1749 in Sault-au-Récollet. He was responsible for the decoration of several churches in the Montreal area. He employed about 15 sculptors, gilders, and carpenters in his shop in Montreal. Close this window |
Wolfe’s manifesto, establishing his positions and proposals for Canadians in the armed conflict, was posted on the door of this church in 1759.
| Wolfe’s Manifesto “The formidable sea and land armament, which the people of Canada now behold in the heart of their country, is intended by the king, my master, to check the insolence of France, to revenge the insults offered to the British colonies, and totally to deprive the French of their most valuable settlement in North America. [...] The King of Great Britain wages no war with the industrious peasant, the sacred orders of religion, or the defenseless women and children: to these, in their distressful circumstances, his royal clemency offers protection. The people may remain unmolested on their lands, inhabit their houses and enjoy their religion in security; for these inestimable blessings, I expect the Canadians will take no part in the great contest between the two crowns. But, if by a vain obstinacy and misguided valor, they presume to appear in arms, they must expect the most fatal consequences...” Close this window |
Local folklore includes an interesting story about the Église de Beaumont. During the Seven Year’s War, the British army had been given orders to respect the churches. Despite this, several were burned down in retaliation. In 1759, the English soldiers tried to burn down the Église Saint-Étienne placing lit torches against its wooden doors. The tried to set the church on fire three times. Each time, the flames miraculously went out.
To learn about the Église Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, we invite you to return on February 20, 2007.
Sources:
COURNOYER, Jean, La mémoire du Québec de 1534 à nos jours, Stanké, Montreal, 2001, 1861 p.
LACOURSIÈRE, Jacques, Histoire populaire du Québec, Volume 1 “Des origines à 1791”, Septentrion, Sillery. pp. 298-299.
NOPPEN, Luc. Les églises du Québec (1600-1850), Québec, Fides, 1977,
pp. 70-73.
VOYER, Louise, Églises disparues, Libre Expression, Montmagny, 1981,
pp. 11-36.
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