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Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame de Tavant found its origins in the foundation of a priory around 987 by Thibault, seigneur of Bouchard Island, who donated it to the Abbey of Marmoutier. This priory, destroyed during a fire in the late 11th century, was rebuilt after 1069 under the impulse of Bouchard III, following a conflict between Bouchard III and his uncle Geoffroy Fuel. The work seems to have been completed around 1090, as evidenced by the presence of Prior Adelme. The church, from plan to Latin cross to three ships, was probably entirely vaulted, although only three spans of the southern collateral and arches in the middle of the hanger remain today.

In the 15th century, a bell tower was rebuilt on the south side of the choir, incorporating elements of employment. The monastic ensemble, which also included a cloister, was burned by the Protestants in 1562, and then restored under the Bonnot Priorate between 1658 and 1669. The decline of the monastery began in the 18th century, and the community disappeared in the Revolution. The abandoned church was partially transformed into a home, while its western gate was dismantled and sold in 1927. Today, there are only ruins of the prioral church, classified as Historical Monument in 1948.

The current remains, including the arches and arches linking the nave to the collaterals, recall the past importance of this priory. The site, although partially converted into a dwelling, retains a heritage value linked to its medieval history and successive reconstructions. The sources also mention a fortified whole in the sixteenth century, attesting to its defensive and religious role in the region.

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