Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: crossing

Wimborne Minster is a small town named after a monastery. The monastery was founded around 705 by St Cuthburga in a region that was probably only sparsely populated at the time. St Walpurga was educated and spent 26 years here before following the missionary call of her uncle, St Boniface, to Germany. At this time, a men's monastery was also built adjacent to the abbey. Over the next hundred years, the abbey and monastery grew in size and importance. In 871, King Æthelred I of Wessex, Alfred the Great's brother, was buried in the abbey, which brought the abbey royal honours. The nunnery was destroyed by the Danes in 1013 and never rebuilt, though the main abbey building survived. In 1043 Edward the Confessor founded a college of canons, The minster then was remodelled and rebuilt by the Normans between 1120 and 1180, to support that institution. It can be assumed that by then a town centre had already formed in the immediate vicinity of the abbey church, which grew steadily in the years that followed. A school open to the public was opened in Wimborne Minster around 1496, followed by one of the first chained libraries in the country around 1686. The crossing

The city was founded as Augustoritum by the Romans, around 10 BC. Later it was "renamed" after the tribe of the Lemovices whose chief town it was. Limoges was evangelized by Saint Martial, who came to the city around 250. Starting from the construction of the Abbey of St. Martial in the 9th century, the settlement grew around the tomb of the saint. Starting from the 11th century, thanks to the presence of the Abbey of St. Martial and its large library, Limoges became a flourishing artistic centre. It was home to an important school of medieval music composition. In the 13th century, at the peak of its splendour, central Limoges consisted of two fortified settlements. In 1370 during the Hundred Years War, Limoges was occupied by Edward, the Black Prince, who massacred some 300 residents with another members of the garrison. In 1095 Pope Urban II consecrated a Romanesque cathedral on the site of today's church, but alreday Bishop Aymeric de La Serre decided to build a new cathedral. The foundation stone was laid in 1273. First the choir was built, which was added to the Romanesque nave. In 1327 the construction work stopped for about 50 years due to lack of money. After the end of the Hundred Years War, the two eastern bays of the nave were built between 1458 and 1499. In 1533 the construction of the four western nave bays was commisioned. Due to the Huguenot Wars, construction work was interrupted again. It was only in the third construction phase, from 1876 to 1888 that the nave was connected to the previously isolated bell tower. The stained glass windows of the choir must have been fitted before 1330. This glazing underwent great restoration in the19th century. The crossing

The "Basilique du Sacré Coeur" in Paray-le-Monial. The monastry existing since 974 became a dependency of nearby Cluny in 999. The first church "Paray I" was consecrated by Odilo of Cluny already in 1004. Though enlarged later to "Paray II", abbot Hugh of Cluny started the building of now existing church "Paray III" in 1090. As it has lots of similarities to the only little older "Cluny III", it is sometime called "Small Cluny". Looking onto the east end, the Cluny-influenced romanesque design is clearly visible. There is a cruciform plan, here to be seen is the transept, the crossing tower, the rectangular end of the nave, the halfround apse, surrounded by an ambulatory and the apsidal chapels.

The "Basilique du Sacré Coeur" in Paray-le-Monial. A monastry existing here since 974 became a dependency of nearby Cluny in 999. The first church "Paray I" was consecrated by Odilo of Cluny in 1004. Though enlarged later to "Paray II" by the still existing westwork and narthex, abbot Hugh of Cluny started the building of now existing church "Paray III" in 1090. As it has lots of similarities to the only little older "Cluny III", it is sometimes called "Small Cluny". Paray-Le-Monial played a role in the medieval pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Today pilgims are back. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque lived here, a nun and mystic, who had visions in 1673. She promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. So Paray-le-Monial now again is a place of pilgrimage in France. Even the patronage of the basilique changed in the 19th century from "Basilique du Notre Dame" to "Basilique du du Sacré Coeur". I have already uploaded a lot of photos of Paray-le-Monial, I took during other visits. So I will only add some new photos, like this one. Standing in the nave, near the crossing looking into the choir. Over years this area got renovated. There was an huge, ugly wooden wall installed in the nave. In 2010 I saw this choir the first time. There is a yellow/red umbrella on the very right.. This is not an ordenary parasol. It is an "umbraculum" (aka "conopeum), one of the papal emblems of a "basilica minor".

Saint Martin´s preceding church belonged to the diocese of Clermont, but the Sires de Bourbon (-Archambaud) transferred it within the 11th century to the Bishop of Nevers. A century later it was owned by the Cluniac priory of Souvigny. At that time the old church got demolished and the erection of Saint Martin started. Saint Martin is pretty large (35 meters long). The eastern parts of the structure (apse, crossing) are older than the nave and the aisles. The crossing dome.

Puyferrand (= Puy-Ferrand) is a small hamlet, that is part of the small town Le Châtelet. The church was part of a priory, sponsored by the Seigneurs de Déols, existed here since 1070. As the church as well served the growing parish, the church got enlarged already within the 12th century by an additional nave, named "Chapelle Saint-Blaise". The church was built following the blueprint of a "Latin Cross" with a long nave crossed by a transept. Seen here is the crossing. The church got severely damaged in 1569 during the Wars of Religion. The structure was rebuilt later. The once semicircular central apse got demolished in the early 19th century, so the wall in the background is only about 200 years old. The church was locked, but a friendly lady from Le Châtelet´s tourist office arived with the key and opened the doors. Merci beaucoup!

There are two products, this small town, near Riom is pretty famous for. There are the black stones from Volvic, used all over the Auvergne. The gothic cathedral in Clermont-Ferrand is built from the black stones, coming from Volvic. The younger product is the "Volvic" mineral water. Zillions of plastic bottles, filled with Volvic-water leave this place every week or month. Long time before Danone (Evian, Badoit, La Salvetat....) entered the stage in Volvic, this place was owned by St. Priest (aka Priest de Clermont, aka Saint Praejectus), bishop of Clermont. St. Priest was stabbed to death here in 676 and immediately was venerated as a martyr. His sucessor Avitor founded an abbey here, that later was depending from Mozac (1169). Standing in the center of the crossing - and looking up.

Around 1060 a small monastery was founded here, funded by William IV, Duke of Aquitaine (aka Fièrebrace - The iron arm). The building of the romanesque church started immediately and probably only took less than 10 years. This church is counted rightly to the crown jewels of the romanesque architecture in the Auvergne by Bernard Craplet ("Auverne romane"). What makes it so interesting is, that this is the oldest of the crown jewels, as this structure is about 50 years older than Notre-Dame-du-Port, Orcival and Issoire. But it nevertheless shows already all the specific touch, the romanesque style ahs in the Auvergne. Actually Bernard Craplet places this small church like a stepping stone between the (lost) romanesque cathedral of Étienne II/Pope Stephen II in Clermont and Notre-Dame-du-Port. Though the romanesque church is really small and not complete, this is one of the most important structures in the Auvergne. The Collégiale Saint-Victor et Sainte-Couronne (now parish church) consists out of three architectural parts. The romanesque church with a nave, two aisles and a transept, a later added narthex and a large gothic part. Standig in the crossing and staring up into cupola. This is the joint between the romanesque and the gothic part. Around 1280 the romanesque apses east of the transept were demolished - and the building of the gothic church startet. So today the romanesque vaulting is on the left while the gothic vaulting on the right side.

This wonderful church in tiny Veauce (pop. less than 50) was built within the 11th century. It was given to the abbey of St. Leger of Ebreuil by chevalier Aimon de Veauce, what was approved by pope Paschal II in 1115. Not much more is known about the early history of this church. The architect obviously was very ambitious and did a great job. So this church is sometimes compared with Notre-Dame de Saint-Saturnin. For Bernard Craplet, author of "Auvergne Romane", this is one of the nicest and most interesting churches in the Bourbonnais, mixing architectural influences of the Limagne and the Auvergne. The choir of Sainte-Croix. The altar is centered in the middle of the semicircel created by six pillars, that mark the border between choir and ambulatory. Lots of light comes in through the windows of the ambulatory, behind the pillars and the windows of the arcades in the "second floor". The large suspended lamp, hanging down from the center of the cupola, is probably an addition of the last century.

This wonderful church in tiny Veauce (pop. less than 50) was built within the 11th century. It was given to the abbey of St. Leger of Ebreuil by chevalier Aimon de Veauce, what was approved by pope Paschal II in 1115. Not much more is known about the early history of this church. The architect obviously was very ambitious and did a great job. So this church is sometimes compared with Notre-Dame de Saint-Saturnin. For Bernard Craplet, author of "Auvergne Romane", this is one of the nicest and most interesting churches in the Bourbonnais, mixing architectural influences of the Limagne and the Auvergne. Looking up - into the cupola of the crossing. Note the squinches.

Radegonde (aka "Radegund", "Radegundis") was a princess, born in Thuringia around 520. She was married to Chlothar I but left her husband and founded the convent "Sainte-Marie-Hors-les-Murs" in Poitiers around 552. The nunnery was the first and became the most important in the Frankish Empire. After having received a fragment of the "True Cross" from the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, the name of the abbey changed to "Abbaye Sainte-Croix". In 587 Radegonde was buried here. The first church was erected over her tomb. Radegonde´s remains were exhumed in 1012 for public veneration, what triggered a major pilgrimage to Poitiers. After a major fire, the church was rebuilt. The church of today, constructed from the 11th to 12th centuries, was built in a combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles. The church is built in a "Latin Cross". Here is the dome over the crossing.

Saint-Aulais-la-Chapelle, a village with a population of not even 300, hosts three Romanesque churches! One of these is Saint-Jaques in the tiny Hamlet of Conzac. Erected within the 12th century as a Cluniac priory church when pilgrims took a break here on their way to Santiago de Compostella. They still had about 1000 kms to walk from here. The priory and the church got severely damaged during the Wars of Religions. The church, once built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross, lost one arm of the transept, the facade and a large part of the nave. The 12th century crossing and the apse still exist - and most Romanesque carvings have survived the times- During the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela the "pelerin" could easily encounter life threatening incidents. He had to anticipate such harmful events and had to be prepared even for the worst. Forests had special risks. There were mythic beasts, chimeras and animals of all kinds, ever growing man-eating creepers ... a jungle full of dangers. These scenes of growing creepers, green men and mythic animals can often be found in the Poitou.

Saint-Aulais-la-Chapelle, a village with a population of not even 300, hosts three Romanesque churches! One of these is Saint-Jaques in the tiny Hamlet of Conzac. Erected within the 12th century as a Cluniac priory church when pilgrims took a break here on their way to Santiago de Compostella. They still had about 1000 kms to walk from here. The priory and the church got severely damaged during the Wars of Religions. The church, once built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross, lost one arm of the transept, the facade and a large part of the nave. The 12th century crossing and the apse still exist - and most Romanesque carvings have survived the times- During the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela the "pelerin" could easily encounter life threatening incidents. He had to anticipate such harmful events and had to be prepared even for the worst. Forests had special risks. There were mythic beasts, chimeras and animals of all kinds, ever growing man-eating creepers ... a jungle full of dangers. These scenes of growing creepers, green men and mythic animals can often be found in the Poitou.

Saint-Aulais-la-Chapelle, a village with a population of not even 300, hosts three Romanesque churches! One of these is Saint-Jaques in the tiny Hamlet of Conzac. Erected within the 12th century as a Cluniac priory church when pilgrims took a break here on their way to Santiago de Compostella. They still had about 1000 kms to walk from here. The priory and the church got severely damaged during the Wars of Religions. The church, once built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross, lost one arm of the transept, the facade and a large part of the nave. Though one arm of the transept does not exist anymore, the crossing survived with the dome and the four windows up there.

Saint-Aulais-la-Chapelle, a village with a population of not even 300, hosts three Romanesque churches! One of these is Saint-Jaques in the tiny Hamlet of Conzac. Erected within the 12th century as a Cluniac priory church when pilgrims took a break here on their way to Santiago de Compostella. They still had about 1000 kms to walk from here. The priory and the church got severely damaged during the Wars of Religions. The church, once built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross, lost one arm of the transept, the facade and a large part of the nave. Standing in the nave, rebuilt within the 15th century, facing east to the Romanesque crossing and choir.

Already within the 7th century a convent, following the Rule of Saint Colomban, existed here upto the Viking raids. New monastic life flourished, when benefactor Renaud d'Orval donated land to the Abbay Sainte-Trinité in Lessay - and a priory was founded here in the 11th century. The parish church "Sainte-Hélène", erected end of the 11th century, was the priory´s church. The nave is Romanesque, the crossing is probably only a few decades younger. Here are the vaults of the crossing.

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup! Standing in the nave, facing east to the choir. The two chapels of the transept can be partly seen from this pov.