Saint-Martin-l'Ars : Reau Abbey
VienneReference
PA00105700
Latitude
46.19444
Longitude
0.54917
Address
5270 La Réau 86350 Saint-Martin-l'Ars
Construction era
12e siècle;14e siècle;17e siècle;18e siècle
Protection date
1941/10/04 : classé MH ; 1994/09/02 : classé MH
Protection cause
Restes de la chapelle ; salle capitulaire ; grosse tour nord ; grand escalier de pierre ; restes de la tour de l'enceinte (cad. E 319, 322) : classement par arrêté du 4 octobre 1941 ; Bâtiments non encore classés, à savoir : bâtiment conventuel (sauf parties déjà classées) , chai, anciennes écuries, grange, moulin, pigeonnier (cad. E 319) ; logis dit abbatiale et tour (cad. E 322) ; sol des parcelles E 318 à 320, 322, 325 et 608 correspondant à l'emprise de l'abbaye et pouvant contenir des vestiges archéologiques : classement par arrêté du 2 septembre 1994
Description
This abbey would have been founded in the last third of the 12th century under the reign of Henri II Plantagenêt. Probably of royal origin, she quickly experienced a boom and generates many prayers. In 1372, the monastery was burnt down and looted, but the ruins were then restored and protected by a fortified structure. From the 16th century, troubles and a decline began to manifest. It is only with the appointment of Louis de la Rochefoucauld that we observe a return to prosperity, in particular with the arrival of the Genovéfains at the beginning of the 17th century. Significant work was carried out in the 18th century under the direction of the prior François Henin, followed by the demolition of many buildings deemed too dilapidated. During the revolution, buildings and furniture are sold as national goods. Nowadays, there is a ruined church from the abbey, a building that extends the transept, another which constitutes the north side of the cloister, as well as the barn and dependencies, including the mill, which testify to the architectural whole created by the monastic rule based largely on autarky.
