Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes - Abbey Church

The former Abbey Church in the village of Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes, that now serves the parish, has a total length of 72,30 meters and all of the 600 people living in Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes would easily find a chair inside. The church is a gem of poitevin architecture.

When Prosper Mérimée visited Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes mid 19th century, the church were in a very bad state. Photograps taken some decades later show, that the facade was ruined. Prosper Mérimée efforts started a reconstruction and renovation process, that finally saved the structure. Today the facade is complete again.

Many of the large sculptures that decorated the facade are damaged, as during the Wars of Religion the monastery got attacked and plundered. The Battle of Moncontour between the Catholic armee and the Huguenots was fought in 1569 only about 5kms west.

This is a capital, found on the facade. Giant apes, tamed by a tiny human. The tamer is riding on the right ape. The left ape wears a collar and is enchained. The small human holds that chain. This may be connected to the "singe cordé", enchained apes/monkeys, that can often be found in the Auvergne. The seize of the apes gave the artist the idea, to create room for the human´s head by "opening" the frame.

The history of this abbey dates back to the 4th century, when Jovinus (French "Jouin") in 342 founded a small oratory near a place named Ensio. Not much is known about Jovinus. He may have been borne in a wealthy family. It is believed, that his was brother of Saint Maximin, the first Bishop of Treves.

The oratory developed into a monastery over the next decades, that was the second monastery existing in France, just after Saint-Martin-de-Ligugé, founded by St. Martin of Tours himself in 361.

During the 7th century, the bishop of Nantes, Felix, asked Martin de Vertou to christianise the area. This mission led him to Ension where he imposed Saint Benoit’s rule.

The small monastery was never threatend by the Normanic raids, as it was far away from large rivers. So it could offer refuge to the monks of "Saint Martin de Vertou", who left their monastery and brought the relics of their founding Saint, in 843.

The erection of the Abbey Church took place between 1095 and 1130, when an old Roman road, known under the name of "Saint Hilaire’s Way" was followed by pilgrims on their way to Santiago. At that time the road was one of the many that belonged all to the "Via Turonensis".

Monastic life was ended by the French Revolution in 1789. The Abbey was sold as national property. The church serves as a parish church since 1795. Parts of the former conventual buildings now belong to a privatly owned farm, next to the church.