Le Loroux-Bottereau

Eglise Saint-Laurent

Probably built in the 11th or 12th century on the site of an older church dedicated to Saint Giles, the Saint-Laurent chapel underwent a few alterations in the 14th or 15th century. After the Revolution, it became the parish church, the village court of justice and the town hall. In 1922 it was again used as a courtroom by the justice of the peace, then it was transformed into the dance hall of a "café", before being eventually pulled down in 1974. In 1999, the stones from the Romanesque doorway were re-assembled on the site of the former church

THE WALL PAINTINGS

Originally (in the 12th century) the north-east wall of the nave was decorated with paintings representing "Saint Giles and the Hind" and "The Emperor Charlemagne Seeking Forgiveness from Giles." The 14th-century alterations, which prolonged the chancel towards the nave had involved the whitewashing of the paintings. They were discovered in 1922. They were removed from their support in 1962, restored and placed in the new Saint-Jean church

1) General view:

2) Saint Giles and the Hind:

The life of Saint Giles is mostly based on legend. Born in Athens, he first went to Rome, then retired to a forest in the vicinity of Nîmes (Gard - France), where he lived as a hermit, feeding on the milk of a tame hind. During a hunting party, the hind and saint Giles were wounded by a king. To be forgiven, the king ordered a monastery to be built on the site and Giles became its abbot.

Left: Floventus * right: a horseman playing his hunting horn --- - Some experts think that Floventus is the horn player, whereas the horseman on the left if the Emperor Charlemagne. - The scene probably continued on the right with Saint Giles and his hind.

3) Charlemagne Seeking Forgiveness from Giles: