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Le Mesnil-Aubert

Église Saint-Pierre / Saint OrtaireManche (50)

Le Mesnil-Aubert, Église Saint-Pierre / Saint Ortaire

The church at Le Mesnil-Aubert is dedicated to St. Peter but the local saint, celebrated on Whitsun Monday, is St. Ortaire. St. Ortaire was the abbot of Landelle Abbey, in the diocese of Bayeux and evangelised the region. The construction dates back from the 11th and 12th centuries. The tower was raised in the late 19th century

Northwest view
Northwest view
The tower
The tower
The south porch
The south porch
Ground plan
Ground plan
Nave, chancel and apse
Nave, chancel and apse
Altar and retable; left: St. Peter, right, St. Ortaire
Altar and retable; left: St. Peter, right, St. Ortaire
Romanesque window decorated with a masonry pattern
Romanesque window decorated with a masonry pattern

THE WALL PAINTINGS

These 16th-century wall paintings were discovered when the retable of the Virgin was removed for restoration. They are divided into three registers

Le Mesnil-Aubert, Église Saint-Pierre / Saint Ortaire
Upper register: a castle with its lookout and a bird of prey holding a fish in its claws
Upper register: a castle with its lookout and a bird of prey holding a fish in its claws
Median register: a crowned couple and three kneeling children. Left, two figures in 16th-century dress
Median register: a crowned couple and three kneeling children. Left, two figures in 16th-century dress
Lower register: St. Ursula (?) kneeling and receiving the blessing of a cleric. Left: a small figure and a boat
Lower register: St. Ursula (?) kneeling and receiving the blessing of a cleric. Left: a small figure and a boat
Le Mesnil-Aubert, Église Saint-Pierre / Saint Ortaire

North wall of the nave (16th century): the scene known as "Warning against Idle Gossip", in which a devil notes down the words of women who are gossiping during Mass in a ledger, is fairly common in the 16th century. This scene could be called "A Warning against Bawdiness." Two women seem to have commerce with a two-horned devil while a many-horned second devil notes down their sinful behaviour in a ledger to be able to claim the souls of the sinners on Judgement Day

North wall of the nave: 14th-century paintings. A pattern of quatrefoils
North wall of the nave: 14th-century paintings. A pattern of quatrefoils
South wall of the nave: quatrefoil: Christ before Caiaphas
South wall of the nave: quatrefoil: Christ before Caiaphas
South wall of the nave, quatrefoil: the Baptism of Christ
South wall of the nave, quatrefoil: the Baptism of Christ

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Location and nearby churches

  1. Savigny 14 km
  2. Marchésieux 28 km
  3. Mont-Dol 49 km
  4. Chapelle Saint-Frimbault (Lassay-les-Châteaux) 87 km
  5. Lassay-les-Châteaux 87 km
  6. Mayenne 92 km

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