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Origin and history

The Stone Cross of Fougerolles, erected in the 15th century, is a monumental octagonal monument typical of medieval funeral art. Its base, laid on four steps, bears several shields, while its barrel is decorated with tears and flowers. The eight sides represent in relief the instruments of Christ's Passion, emphasizing his religious and commemorative vocation. An inscription in Gothic letters, taken from the book of Jeremiah, crowned together, framed by four jewels having once supported statuettes of saints or angels, now disappeared.

The central shields, one of which has two dolphins attributed to the Gaucourt family, are surrounded by a garland of flowers, a symbol linked to Louise de Buchepot, a young girl in memory of whom the monument would have been built. The cross was vandalized in 1793 by the Jacobins, losing part of its original structure. Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of 28 November 1922, it now belongs to the commune of Fougerolles and stands as a Church square, testifying both to medieval piety and revolutionary upheavals.

The location of the cross, although documented (place of the Church or place of the Town Hall according to the sources), remains unclear, with a cartographic accuracy estimated at 5/10. This monument, both art and historical marker, embodies the funeral traditions of the local aristocracy and the political tensions that marked its history, especially during its partial destruction during the French Revolution.

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