Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The manor-chapel of Saint-Romain-sur-Cher came into being in the 13th century, when the chapel of Bas Morlu was ceded in 1245 to Benedictine monks. This first act marks the beginning of its religious history, before it becomes a secular good. The building, originally dedicated to worship, underwent a major transformation at the end of the 15th century, reflecting the social and architectural changes of the era.

In 1485, the bishop of Orléans gave the chapel to Richard du Mont, a local nobleman, who began his conversion into a mansion. The house body is then joined to the abside, while the nave wall is raised to create a living floor. A polygonal tower, probably added to the same period, provides access to this floor. These changes illustrate the adaptation of religious buildings to residential uses, which are common after the Hundred Years War.

Leabside retains a cul-de-four decorated with murals, artistic testimonies of medieval and Renaissance eras. The site, partially protected since 1987 (façades, roofs, chimneys and apse), thus embodies the superposition of religious and seigneurial functions. Its hybrid architecture makes it a rare example of a transition between the sacred and the secular in the Loire Valley.

The location of the manor-chapel, at 69 Route du Petit Morlu, remains approximated according to available sources, with a priori satisfactory map accuracy (note 6/10). The monument, although classified, does not provide explicit information about its current accessibility (visits, accommodation or events).

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