Construction of the chapel vers 1115 (≈ 1115)
Two-span nave vaulted in cradle.
XIVe siècle
Fortification of the enclosure
Fortification of the enclosure XIVe siècle (≈ 1450)
Defence tower on the apse.
8 mai 1939
Official protection
Official protection 8 mai 1939 (≈ 1939)
Registration of the Chapter Hall.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Chapter hall (or refectory): inscription by order of 8 May 1939
Origin and history
The Priory of Goudargues, located in the eponymous village of Occitanie, retains significant remains of its medieval monastic past. Close to the present church remains a claustral building, probably a capitular hall or refectory, characterized by a broken cradle vault. This type of architecture, typical of the 12th to 14th centuries, bears witness to the community life of the monks and the spatial organization of the Benedictine or Augustinian priories of the region.
The chapel of Caseneuve, located a few meters to the east, illustrates Provencal Romanesque art with its nave of two vaulted bays in cradle, built around 1115. Its apse, integrated into the monarchy, was reused as a base for a 14th century defence tower, reflecting the military adaptations of religious buildings during the troubled period of the Hundred Years War. These transformations underline the dual spiritual and strategic role of the priories in Languedoc.
The set, partially protected since 1939 (inscription of the capitular hall), offers a rare example of the overlaying of religious, community and defensive functions within the same site. Available sources, such as the Merimée base, precisely locate the monument in the Gard department (Insee code 30131), although the cartographic accuracy remains limited (level 5/10). No information is provided on its current accessibility or contemporary uses.
