Ancienne abbaye Saint-Martin

English translation

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History

The foundation of the abbey may date back to the 8th century. Ruined in 873 and then burnt down in 1138, it was rebuilt. The abbey church is from the 14th century (with some remains of the earlier church), with a bell tower built in 1483 for abbot Bertrand de Chamborand. Some abbey buildings remain: the abbatiale (which became the parish church of Saint-Paxent in 1736), the chapel of Saint-Loup (also called the abbot's chapel), the conventional building which comprises the chapter house, a few isolated constructions, incorporated into more recent complexes (cellars, towers of the enclosure, entrance gateway...). What remains of the transept of the 12th-century church can still be seen on the towers. Part of the area of the crossing is occupied by the bell tower (15th-16th century). The arch of the transept corresponds to the great main dwelling of the early 13th century which separated the two cloisters. The bays which contained the sacristy and the staircase were demolished at the end of the 19th century. The first remaining bay probably contained the treasure and relics. Entry was made through the sacristy or the staircase. It opened onto the great cloister. Next comes the chapter house covered by six rib vaults which come down at the centre onto two circular columns. A door gave access to the small cloister and another to the great one. The tracery of the openings shows the early 13th century. The chapter house is followed by a transverse bay, vaulted in barrel vault, which made communication between the two cloisters. After this passage remains a bay covered by two rib vaults which perhaps served as a parlour for the monks or as a store. This small room must have been continued by a larger room which probably served as a warming room. At this point starts the building at right angles on which rested the south gallery of the cloister. The first floor of this building between the two cloisters contained the dormitory covered by a roof structure in broken arch formed by rafters with collar ties. Near the sacristy, a great staircase gave access to this dormitory. A spiral staircase must have replaced, in the 15th century, the primitive flight of steps; it itself demolished in the 17th century to make way for a great staircase with a landing.