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Origin and history

The former Saint-Lunaire church of Saint-Lormel, located in the Côtes-d'Armor in Brittany, is a religious building whose origins date back to at least the twelfth century. It is distinguished by its unique nave with polygonal bedside, its 12th century sculpted Romanesque portal, and a second flamboyant Gothic portal from the 15th century. Traces of Gallo-Roman apparatus and tiles, visible on the south, west and north facades, suggest an ancient occupation of the site, perhaps from ancient times or the early Middle Ages.

The west gate, dated from the 12th century and built in granite, has capitals decorated with masks, stars and geometric motifs, surmounted by an arc in the middle of the pit with saw teeth. This portal would have been moved from the southern façade when a new flamboyant Gothic portal was added in the 15th century, decorated with plant motifs, a chimera and a lion. The west façade also retains a carved female head, re-used above a bay whose contemporary stained glass windows replaced 19th-century woodwork.

Archaeological surveys conducted in 1985 in the polygonal apse, rebuilt in 1885, revealed walls of various periods: Gallo-Roman or High Middle Ages, XII and XV centuries, as well as an undated circular structure, perhaps the base of a tower. These findings confirm that the present church is based on much older foundations, although the original apse of the twelfth century has not been located. Subsequent changes, such as the construction of the bell tower in 1839 or the destruction of the northern chapel in 1884, bear witness to a complex architectural history.

In the 18th century, interventions were attested to on the south (1753) and north (1783), while in the 19th century, the building underwent major restorations, notably in 1839 and 1865, the year of the construction of a new church in the village of Dohenneuc. The ancient church, classified as a Historic Monument for its 12th century portal in 1964, preserves remarkable elements such as contemporary stained glass windows, a wooden stand and a coated vault. His cemetery, transferred in 1866, still housed tombstones until the early 20th century.

Among the notable discoveries are a sarcophagus containing a leaded heart and bones, exhumed in 1884 under the pavement, as well as the mention of a carved tomb of the 16th century, now extinct, representing a man of arms and Perette de l'Argentaye, lady of Montbran. These elements highlight the funeral and memorial role of the building, linked to local noble families such as the Malestroit and Largentaye, whose weapons were once on a church window.

The Saint-Lunar Church thus illustrates a rich historical stratification, from its possible Gallo-Roman origins to its medieval and modern transformations. Its gradual abandonment after 1865, in favour of a new place of worship, makes it a valuable testimony to the architectural and social evolutions of rural Brittany.

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