The Saint-Pourçain church of Naves

The occupation of naves seems very old. a megalith still located at the limit of the communes of Vicq, Saint-Bonnet-of-Rochefort and Naves attests human presence as of the Neolithic era. It represents a stylized owl.
The commune was crossed by the Roman way connecting Clermont in Bourges with the Fontchambert locality, where a Roman villa was probably installed.
The first known mention of Naves goes back to 763. An act of Pip the Short one places the vicairie of Chantelle, the church of Naves and the grounds which it has under the protection of the abbey of Mozac in Auvergne. Then one finds “Navas” into 833.

At the end of XIème or beginning of XIIème century is built the castle of Naves. According to the legend, it would have belonged to Jacques Cœur.  In 1147, following a conflict of vassalage with Archambault V of Bourbon, Hugues de Naves yields to Pierre of Châtre, archbishop of Bourges, his castle and his fields of Naves.

The current building of XIIIème century, built by the archbishops of Bourges, Lords of Naves, is built with the site of at least two older churches, dating from the Carolingian time and XIIème century. The oven walls of the gate are decorated at their higher ends by two heads with children of which the combed hairstyle is characteristic of XIIIème century. Other sculptures are visible outside and represent characters as well as medieval tools.