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Origin and history

The former Priory of Etricor, located in Etagnac in Charente, is a chapel of the order of Grandmont founded in the 12th century, placed under the patronage of Notre-Dame and Saint Pardoux. It is the oldest Grandmontan church still in existence, although monastic buildings have disappeared. The chapel, built in granite, is distinguished by its sober architecture: a unique nave vaulted in a broken cradle, semi-circular apse illuminated by a triplet of Romanesque windows, and a north gate with three arches broken. Originally, it served as a place of worship for monks and local faithful, with a south gate (today walled) overlooking the cloister.

The foundation of the priory, called the priory, dates back between 1148 and 1187, thanks to the princes of Chabanais, in a territory belonging to the canons of Lesterps. Originally independent, Étricor was attached in 1317 to the mother abbey of Grandmont during the reform of the order by Pope John XXII. The priory received many gifts (land, mills, fishing rights) over the centuries, but its buildings were destroyed by a Huguenot lord at the end of the 16th century. In the 18th century, the places, reduced to two farms, were worth between 700 and 800 pounds annually at the abbey.

The abolition of the Grandmont order in 1772 led to the transfer of income to the bishopric of Limoges, who was in debt. Sold as a national good during the Revolution, the chapel was restored to worship in 1886. In 2001, the commune of Etagnac became its owner, with the help of the association of friends of Etricor for its maintenance. A pilgrimage in honour of Saint Pardoux, venerated by the peasants, continued in October. The chapel and its floor have been listed as historical monuments since 1987.

Architecturally, the chapel illustrates the grandmontane austerity: blind side walls to symbolize the divine light crossing from east to west, lack of superfluous decoration. The northern gate, reserved for the faithful, contrasts with the south walled gate, formerly reserved for the monks. It is slightly wider than the nave and has a triplet of Romanesque windows in the middle of the hangar, framed by foothills. A 14th century statue of Saint Pardoux, inserted in the south wall, bears witness to local devotion.

Historical sources, including the works of Dom Jean Becquet, highlight the importance of Étricor as an early witness to Grandmontan architecture. Despite the destruction and changes of property, the chapel remains a place of memory and worship, managed today by the municipality. Its inscription in historical monuments also protects the surrounding soil, which may contain archaeological remains of the missing buildings.

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