Hastingues - Abbaye d'Arthous

The abbey "Sainte-Marie d'Arthous" was founded around 1160. This was filiation of the Premonstratensian "Abbaye de la Case-Dieu" in Gers (120 kms east). The building of the church, seen here, was started soon after. It got already consecrated in 1167.

The neighbouring bastide Hastingues was founded in 1289 by John Hastings, seneschal of Gascony. This was done following a treaty between Edward I of England, Duke of Aquitaine and the monks of the Abbaye d'Arthous.

During the War of Religions the abbey got ruined and lost the importance it once had. Though restored, only 5 monks lived here in 1766, so after the Revolution the abbey was sold by the state - and used as a farm.

The abbey church is known for some extraordinary corbels around the apses. Here are three of them:

A grimacing head ("mouth puller"), a musician (playing the dolio) and a kind of lion (?) with a curly fur and a very small head. Note the small human head between the leaves to the right. A strange kind of bud.