Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The priory Saint Vincent de Dun-le-Poëlier, located in the commune of the same name in the region Centre-Val de Loire, is mentioned for the first time in a bubble of 1233 listing the possessions of the Abbey of Deols. This priory, dependent on this abbey until 1625, presents a church with a single vessel and flat bedside, probably built between the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. The windows, doors and chimneys of the house, on the other hand, date from the 15th century, although the building has undergone subsequent modifications.

At its foundation, the exact plan of the priory buildings remains unknown. However, an inventory compiled in 1791, when it was sold as a national property, describes an access through a gate overlooking a courtyard surrounded by operating buildings. The prioral house, adjacent to the chapel, seems to have been gradually enlarged: the first house (XIIth-XIIIth century) probably occupied the present central room on the ground floor, before being raised and flanked by a wooden staircase tower. A first extension to the east would have included this tower, followed by a second to the west, to the bedside of the church.

The east wing of the house was demolished in 1966, but the chapel and the house were partially protected as historical monuments in 1984 and 2006, respectively. The chapel, dedicated to Vincent de Zaragoza, patron of the winemakers, remained a place of worship until 1926. Today, the site preserves traces of its medieval and modern past, although some parts have disappeared or been profoundly redesigned.

The architectural elements still visible bear witness to the different periods of construction and use of the priory. The Romanesque church, with its unique vessel and flat bedside, is characteristic of the religious buildings of the late twelfth or early thirteenth century. Changes made in the 15th century, including openings and chimneys, reflect the adaptation of the building to the needs of the era. Finally, the restorations and protections of the 19th and 20th centuries underline the heritage importance of this site, despite the losses suffered over the centuries.

External links