Chadenac - Saint-Martin

A priory, dependent from the (once important) Benedictian abbey Saint-Sauveur de Charroux existed here since the 12th century. At that time Saint-Martin was erected as the church for the priory.

The church got enlarged and vaulted in the 13th and 14th century, but during the Wars of Religion (1562–1598), the structure got severely damaged, so that the ceiling and the crossing dome collapsed.

The imposant western facade with the large archivolts survived the attacks. The priory was sold after the French Revolution and all buildings, but the church, got demolished. Today Saint-Martin serves as the parish church of the small village.

The main portal in the architectural style, that is typical for the Saintonge. Two blind arches flank the larger arch / doors. There is no central tympanum, but a multitude of archivolts.

Here is the center of the main archivolt over the entrance door of Saint-Martin. In all books I found, the theme is described as "Ascension of Christ", what is right. Christ, crowned like a king and flanked by soldiers, is tiny. Like a grandgrandfather of the Infant Jesus of Prague.