The Church of Saint Peter

The Churchwarden's Pews 

The churchwarden’s pews date to the 18th century.

The parish is administered by a parish council and churchwardens, the latter being the standing committee of the parish assembly. Among the council members (between 20 and 30), there are officials, lawyers, and artisans, such as stone workers, masons, butchers, bakers and vintners. The four churchwardens are local notables (normally upper bourgeois), but not necessarily noblemen.

On Sundays after mass, the council members and the churchwardens gather in the church, the latter occupying the churchwarden’s pews. These assemblies discuss various topics : the upkeep of the building and its furnishings, nomination of the school master and of the cantors, decisions regarding the church fees (burials, marriages, baptisms, bell-ringer’s wages, rents for the benches and stalls), and acceptance or refusal of donations and legacies given to the church. They also discuss wine matters, since St Peter possessed a great number of vineyards.