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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The cemetery cross of Saint-Étienne-le-Molard is a 12th-century granite monument of cruciform section with cellars at the angles. It measures 206 cm in height and has front and rear faces decorated with cheekbones and bas-reliefs. Under the cross, two characters sculpted in projections, the Virgin and Saint John, are visible, with a bas-relief decoration on the reverse. The drum rests on a trapezoidal base itself placed on a tablet and a masonry base, the latter being after the initial construction.

This cross, probably originally monolithic, underwent restorations. A drawing preserved at the Diana shows an ancient statuette (perhaps a Virgin of the 11th century according to the author of the drawing) carved on the old base. Classified as a Historical Monument by order of 28 June 1972, it is now owned by the commune and situated at the bedside of the church (cadastre B 1004).

The location of the cross at approximately 1 Church Square is estimated with poor accuracy (note 5/10). Its initial role, as a cross of path or cemetery, reflects its symbolic and religious importance in the local medieval community. The sculptures of the Virgin and Saint John underline its link with the Christian tradition of the time, where these representations served both as a spiritual landmark and as educational support for the faithful.

Architectural elements, such as bas-relief decoration and granite structure, are characteristic of 12th-century Romanesque art. The subsequent restoration of the base and the base indicates a desire for preservation, although these additions partially alter the original authenticity of the monument. Today, the cross remains a material testimony of medieval funeral and religious art in the region.

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