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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martial de Jabreilles-les-Bordes, located in Haute-Vienne (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), is a Catholic monument built in the 13th century on the remains of an earlier Romanesque church. It illustrates the archetype of limousine rural churches, with sculpted foothills, cornices and modillons inherited from this period. Its western portal, typically Limousin, also dates from the 13th century, while major modifications take place in the 15th century, including murals (1470-1480) depicting scenes of the life of Christ and the Virgin, a rare setting in the region.

In the 18th century, the porch was redesigned (1717), then the bell tower and its arrow were built in the 19th century on a 18th century base, covered with chestnut shingles. An outside wooden staircase, located under the porch, allows access to it. The church was classified as a Historic Monument in 2000, protecting its architecture and remarkable furniture, such as a 17th century altarpiece (registered in 1976) or a Gaulish stele dedicated to the goddess Epona (classified in 1977), sealed under the porch in 1979. In 2004, five openings were decorated with porcelain lithophanies created by Philippe Favier.

The building preserves Romanesque remains (buttress, carved head modillons) and embodies the architectural and artistic evolution of the Limousin, from medieval origins to modern additions. Its location in Jabreilles-les-Bordes (code INSEE 87076) makes it a witness of the rural religious heritage of Haute-Vienne, today communal property and partially open to the visit.

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