Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Gonéry, located in Plougras in the Côtes-d'Armor, is a Latin cross religious building, built mainly of granite. Its architecture combines elements from the 16th and 18th centuries, with a single nave, two transepts and a choir. The arch and carved sandstones, representing religious and local scenes, bear witness to remarkable craftsmanship. Outside, the west gable is marked by a door in the middle of the hanger framed by columns, while a square bell topped by an openwork arrow crowns the whole.

The chapel was mentioned as early as 1456 in a minu, where it is described in the middle of a high futai wood, although no remains of this first construction remain. The present building, rebuilt at the end of the 16th century and at the beginning of the 17th century, underwent restorations in 1787 and 1788, notably on the frame, cover and panel. This work, led by François Le Fustec and Joseph Dubourg, also involved the adjacent cemetery wall. The chapel is surrounded by an enclosure housing the communal cemetery and a cemetery cross, whose base and barrel probably date from the 19th century.

The interior sandstones offer an overview of local life and beliefs of the time, with hunting scenes, representations of paradise and inspired motifs of the Renart Roman. Among them, a scene shows a woman holding a battler, originally intended to hit Renart, replaced later by a horse hunter. These artistic details, as well as the pending key recalling that of Loc-Envel, underline the cultural and religious importance of the chapel in the region.

The Saint-Gonéry Chapel has been listed as a Historic Monument since April 10, 1981, recognizing its heritage value. It is owned by the commune of Plougras and remains an emblematic place of the village, located at the exit towards Loguivy-Plougras. Its history is linked to the local lords, such as the Kermellec, the Park and the Pelletier of Rosambo, who were the pre-eminencers.

External links