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Origin and history

The Priory of the Nobis, founded between 1097 and 1103 in Montreuil-Bellay, was initially a Benedictine priory affiliated with the monks of Saint-Nicolas d'Angers. The church of St Peter, mentioned in the 11th century, was rebuilt around 1140-1150 and became a place of parish and prioral worship. Its history is marked by repeated destructions, especially during the wars of Religion in the 16th century, followed by restorations in the 17th century under the impulse of the Maurists, who completely rebuilt the monastery in 1710 in a style inspired by the Abbey of Saint-Maur-de-Glanfeuil.

In the 15th century, the partial collapse of the church led to the construction of a north side, then its consecration in 1485. After the Revolution, the abandoned church collapsed gradually in the 19th century, leaving only the walls of the choir, the crusillon and the north side. The ruins of the church and cloister were classified as historical monuments in 1974, while the convent buildings, rebuilt in 1710 by the entrepreneurs Jacques Chapillais and René Gasnier, were registered in the same year. The old terraced gardens, dominating the priory, were protected in 1991.

The priory illustrates the architectural and religious evolution of Anjou, moving from a medieval Benedictine establishment to a classical Maurist reconstruction. Its history also reflects the political and religious upheavals of the region, from the 11th century seigneurial gifts to revolutionary destruction. Today, the property of the commune, the site preserves major remains, including a staircase with no-day screws and dogive vaults, testimonies of its multiple transformations.

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