Chadenac - Saint-Martin

A priory, dependent from the (once important) Benedictian abbey Saint-Sauveur de Charroux existed here since the 12th century. At that time Saint-Martin was erected as the church for the priory.

The church got enlarged and vaulted in the 13th and 14th century, but during the Wars of Religion (1562–1598), the structure got severely damaged, so that the ceiling and the crossing dome collapsed.

The imposant western facade with the large archivolts, seen here, survived the attacks, though it got vandalized during the French Revolution. After the Revolution the priory was sold and all buildings, but the church, got demolished. Today Saint-Martin serves as the parish church of the small village.