Saint-Amant-de-Boixe - Abbaye de Saint-Amant

Legends tell, that Saint Amantius, born 520 in Bordeaux, lived a pious life here and did miracles. He died around 600 and his tomb was the center of the abbey founded here.

The monks followed the Benedictine rule from about 1000 on. Placed near the Via Turonensis a large church was needed. It got erected from 1125 on.

The church, seen here, got consecrated in November 1170. The abbey thrived and owned 16 priories alone. A blaze caused much damage to the convent in the 13th. century. Within the next century choir and cloister got rebuilt in Gothic style, but the 100 Years War stopped the development.

A decline started and in 1774 the last monk had left. As even the Maurists were not interested, the a royal edict ended the history of the abbey. After the French Revolution all convent buildings were sold. The church since then serves the parish.

The left arm of the transept has a couple of blind arches. Here is a closer look on one of them. The very weathered tympanum has Saint Peter ("key") flanked by two apostles. I am not sure, but the very left "object" of the frieze may be a mermaid. Further right a "Master of the Beasts", a lion fighter (samson?) and a lion entangled by vines. Mythical creatures populate the archivolt.