Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Léonard de Mareilles-au-Purier, located in Sous-Parsat (Creuse), is a monument dating back to the 4th quarter of the 12th century, with renovations in the 17th century. It initially depended on the priory of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, as evidenced by the archives of the late twelfth century. The parish of Mareilles-au-Purier was attached to Sous-Parsat in 1842, marking an administrative and territorial evolution.

In 1890, reports described the church as covered with a two-paned tile roof, with a bell tower and a slate arrow. A 1921 document reveals a choir adorned with murals: a central crucifixion, Saint John the Baptist on the left, and a subject erased on the right, supplemented by medallions on the panel. Two bays in the middle of the hanger illuminated this space. The building, built in stone and granite stone, incorporates Gallo-Roman lapidary elements from a nearby site, highlighting an ancient reuse.

The church consists of a unique nave with a straight bedside, accessible by a south door. The ground, paved with granite, houses a funerary slab, while the quadrangular bell tower is accessible from the nave. Two successive protections were granted: an inscription in the Historical Monuments in 1926 for the old church, and in 2010 for the remains and soil of the AD 177 plot. These measures reflect its heritage and archaeological significance.

The location of the church, noted as satisfactory a priori (level 7/10), and its approximate address (29 Rue du Pré du Four) make it an accessible site, although its current vocation (visit, rental, or other) is not specified in the sources. A communal property, it embodies a religious, architectural and historical heritage, linked to local and regional history.

External links