Ancienne abbaye

English translation

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History

The monastery is mentioned as early as 1080. From the late 13th to the early 14th century, the abbey and village are fortified. After the abbey was taken by Protestants under the orders of Turenne, in 1586, the abbot Arnaud du Gasc attempted to restore the building but the monastery was again devastated by Boisse-Pardaillan in 1615. On 10 August 1770, the Bishop of Bazas signed the decree bringing about the extinction of the abbey. The monastic buildings are arranged around a paved courtyard (site of the destroyed cloister) access to which is via a corridor situated at the angle of the west façade of the church. The East building is situated at the site of the chapter house. It was converted into a presbytery in the 18th century. Its extremity contained the abbot's apartments. A second corridor, formerly fortified, leads to the outside. The south building, former dormitory and refectory, retains traces of a primitive plan subsequently modified. The west building, buttressed by counterforts, fitted with loopholes, contains a staircase defended by embrasures, leading to the first floor. From this room, a spiral staircase in a turret reaches the second floor. On the ground floor are two rooms vaulted with groin vaults: the prison and the justice hall, with a fireplace having a hood ornamented with a fresco. In the third room opened the primitive entrance to the abbey.