The church of St John the Evangelist

The church of St John the Evangelist is an integral part of Beaufays priory. Dating back to 1123 at the site, the priory consists of a group of buildings surrounded by moats and made up of a number of courtyards (convent courtyard and farmyard). Confiscated in 1798 by the Republicans, the priory passed from owner to owner until it finally ended up with the Laloux family in 1890.

The church of St John the Evangelist is situated at the far south-east of the buildings. A convent church that became a parish church, the building has a single nave and ends with a flat chevet. Built in 1701 based on plans by G Cramion, a friar in the order of Saint-François-de-Paul, the church was rebuilt after the Second World War, as well as after 1983 in the wake of an earthquake whose epicentre was in Liège.

The square tower dates from the 17th century and rests on the flat chevet, extending the south façade to the east. It is topped by bulbous octagonal coping stones, placed after 1950, and a skylight. The Baroque nave is covered by a vault lowered on to joists and diagonal ribs (decorated with Louis XIV stuccoes), descending to Tuscan pilasters.

Note the furnishings, which feature a main altar with painted wooden columns, statues of the Delcour school and oak panelling and stalls from the 18th century, as well as a 'truth pulpit' and Louis XIV confessionals. The choir screen gallery houses an organ case made by the Liège maker, J-B Le Picard in 1742.

Listed (15-01-1936 - church tower) and (30-01-1948 - church)