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Origin and history

The chaplaincy of Saint-Gilles de Surgères, located east of the medieval castle of the city, was founded in the late 11th or 12th century as a shelter for the poor, sick and pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela. Its location, on the road to St. John's Angely, made it a strategic point for jacquets crossing the region. The current remains include two sections of Romanesque walls, probably those of the sick room, as well as a 17th century house built on older structures.

In the 17th century, the Minimes settled there before the convent was sold in 1791. The church and cloister were destroyed in the 19th century to give way to a mansion. Archaeological excavations in 2002 revealed a large medieval hall, occupation levels of the 15th to 16th centuries, and traces related to the Compostellan pilgrimage. The fence walls, facades, roofs and archaeological floors were protected by a classification order in 2004.

Today owned by the commune of Surgères, the site retains Romanesque elements and later structures, testifying to its evolution since the Middle Ages. Its initial role of welcoming travelers and the poor is part of the network of jacquarian stops of Via Turonensis, a major axis towards Compostela from Tours. The physical remains and archaeological archives make it a marker of the hospital and religious heritage of Charente-Maritime.

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