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Undoubtedly the oldest church in our town, Notre-Dame du Val (or Delvaux or D’el Vaulx, there are all manner of spellings!) probably dates from the 13th century, or even earlier.
The hurried passer-by probably won’t stop to look at this plain building, a rural mixture of Romanesque and Gothic, or perhaps just a quick peep at the unique vaulted passage under the church’s chancel.
Well, they will be missing out on the story that these stones have to tell because, make no mistake, the exceptional character of this church lies in the fact that it offers us the chance to enter into the personal lives of past generations.
Tombstones were carved, both inside and on the church walls, sometimes naively but always with great spirituality. Who cut these ‘talking stones’? History hasn’t retained the name of the craftsman or craftsmen, but their work is still available to the inhabitants of Thudinie.
Thanks to these tombstones, not only can we find out when the deceased were born and died, but also the composition of their family, the couple’s first names through the presence of their eponymous saints, when the first spouse died, the children who died in infancy, their profession, etc.
A moving account passed down through the ages and available to all those who take the time to simply visit the church.
Martin Jeanmart.
