Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Biron

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. I had been in Biron a couple if times before. This time I focussed onto the graffiti inside and outside the church. The "Assocation GRATH", who had orgaized an exhibition about medieval graffiti in Pons a year ago, had studied the graffiti here - and had used pencis, to make the lines better visible. Here are two riders. Maybe knights on horses..

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. I had been in Biron a couple if times before. This time I focussed onto the graffiti inside and outside the church. A man in a chainmail? To the left an animal

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. I had been in Biron a couple if times before. This time I focussed onto the graffiti inside and outside the church. Here are boats /ships a common icon used by pilgrims.

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. The masterly carved, elaborate portal is very interesting. The style differs clearly from the capitals along the nave, that are very raw. Here is one of them.

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. The masterly carved, elaborate portal is very interesting. The style differs clearly from the nave with the simple capitals.

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. The elaborate portal is very interesting. Here is a Luxuria. Ray (adfinem) did a comparative study and found out that the portals of the churches in Olcoz and Eunate (Northern Spain) are almost identical to the portal in Biron. www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/7273063248/in/photolist-xFA...

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. Ray (adfinem) did a comparative study and found out that the portals of the churches in Olcoz and Eunate (Northern Spain) are almost identical to the portal in Biron. www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/7273063248/in/photolist-xFA... Here is one of the creatures, that are identical in Olcoz and Eunate 400kms south. The "Via Turonensis" had numerous sidetracks that all crossed this area, Olcoz and Eunate are on the "Aragonés" - and are close to Puente de Reina, where the "Camino Aragonés" ends in the "Camino Francés".

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. The elaborate portal is very interesting. Here is a devil nibbling the genitals of a sinner. An agony of torture. Ray (adfinem) did a comparative study and found out that the portals of the churches in Olcoz and Eunate (Northern Spain) are almost identical to the portal in Biron. www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/7273063248/in/photolist-xFA...

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. The elaborate portal (previous upload) is very interesting. Here is a part of a frieze. Centaurs and deers can often seen together: hunters and prey. Ray (adfinem) did a comparative study and found out that the portals of the churches in Olcoz and Eunate (Northern Spain) are almost identical to the portal in Biron. www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/7273063248/in/photolist-xFA...

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. Ray (adfinem) did a comparative study and found out that the portals of the churches in Olcoz and Eunate (Northern Spain) are almost identical to the portal in Biron. www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/7273063248/in/photolist-xFA...

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. The calvarie cross seen in front of the church dates back to the 17th century and is listed in the Base Mérimée. Ray (adfinem) did a comparative study and found out that the portals of the churches in Olcoz and Eunate (Northern Spain) are almost identical to the portal in Biron. www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/7273063248/in/photolist-xFA...

Saint Mary of Eunate stands isolated, as it was not erected in or near a village, but in the middle of fields. It is surrounded by arches, that gave this place the name, as (according to the tourist office) "Eunate" means "one hundred doors" in Basque. Though, there is not much information about the origins of this wonderful, octogonal church, it has probably been an important place for the pilgrims since the 12th century, as from here to Puente la Reina, where the "Camino Aragonés" / "Via Tolosana" joins the busy "Camino Francés" is only a short walk. The floorplan of Saint Mary of Eunate is surely inspired by the "Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem". Such churches (eg Tomar, Estrella, Pisa..) are often connected to the Knights Templar, but there no proof, that they have ever been in this area. The earliest documented reference is from 1487 and just mentions the "Virgin of Eunate", but at that time, the church was already centuries old. This is the main portal of Saint Mary of Eunate. The carvings of the outer archivolt are identical (but mirror-inverted) to the carvings of the portal of San Miguel in Olcoz (8kms east). All these are very similar to carvings in Biron (France/Charente-Maritime). Ray ("Adfinem") did a highly interesting comperative study about this connection. Here is the Ray´s study www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/sets/72157630046840688/with...

Dedicated to Sonja! Well. I did not ask the farmer to start the tractor, that was parked under a roof in Biron, but I could well imagine, what would happen, if he would have pressed the button.. A sound like - - - "BaBaBaBaBa- - uuu - - bobobobobobo...."

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. Compared to the clumsy carvings inside the church (previous uploads), all carvings outside are masterly carved. There are some exceptionell carbels under the roof in Biron. The lady with that wonderful fascinator (previous upload) is accompanied by this smiling, bearded gentleman, who has invested into a nice green headdress.

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. Compared to the clumsy carvings inside the church (previous uploads), all carvings outside are masterly carved. There are some exceptional corbels under the roof in Biron. This noble lady obviously got portrayed on her way back from from the millinery. She is wearing an early fascinator, the "dernier cri" of her time. She frowns, as the headpiece was really expensive.

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. Compared to the clumsy carvings inside the church (previous uploads), all carvings outside are masterly carved. A scary bearded hybrid creature creeps out of the lion´s mouth.

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. Compared to the clumsy carvings inside the church (previous uploads), all carvings outside are masterly carved. Is this a "Luxuria"? The grimacing lady wears thick braids and holds to objects to the chest. Snakes? I am not sure..

Notre-Dame is the parish church of Biron, a village 6kms east of Pons. Once the church was dedicated to Saint-Eutrope as a relic of "Saint Eutropius of Saintes", who came to the region to evangelize the Gauls in the 3rd century, was kept here. Erected within the 12th century the church got fortified soon after. During the 15th/16th century it got enlarged, the apse got vaulted and a chapel was added. Compared to the clumsy carvings inside the church (previous uploads), all carvings outside are masterly carved. Either these are "just" mythical birds or peacocks. Native to India, peacocks must have been very exotic in a village in rural France more than 800 years ago.