INDRE

Commune

Déols  Neuvy-Saint-Sepulchre

Déols - Ancienne Abbatiale Notre Dame (Musée) The town of Déols is across the river from the much larger Regional capital of Châteauroux but the two towns appear to merge. The Abbey is in a ruinous state with only its Romanesque tower still roofed. The abbey ruins may be visited via a small museum, which houses a collection of stone capitals and the effigy shown below. Entrance to the museum and abbey ruins is free, although there is a small charge to visit the tower. The whole complex has been exceptionally well designed and executed. There is free street parking in the town and we were able to park right outside the abbey. Unknown abbot 14th century. Limestone found 1886 inside south transept of abbey church. Note the two monks on the foot rest: they are reading on either side of a flaming torch. The monument was originally displayed in a museum at Chateauroux.

Neuvy-Saint-Sepulchre - Ancienne Collégiale Saint Jacques This long named town is a small town and takes its name from the church, which is a copy of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, in other words a round church rather like the Temple Church in London. However unlike the latter, which was a church of the Knight Templars, it was a collegiate church staffed by canons. It appears to be the only round church in France.  Entry is free and there is a free car part next to the Mairie, a very short walk away. A curiosity: The English word sepulcher is translated as sépulcre in French and sepulcrum in Latin, so why the addition h in the name of this town? It is said that a medieval monk wrote down a Latin pun when describing the church by combining the noun sepulcrum with the Latin adjective pulchre (beautiful). Hence 'beautiful sepulcher'. If my dusty Latin is correct it would have been sepulcrum pulchrum but then it had to be turned into French! An unknown canon 13th century. Limestone, some polychrome. The head is far too small for the monument and has clearly been replaced at some time. In the 'round' of the church

I have only found these two effigies in Indre; it is a very rural department but there must be more monuments there. If anyone knows of any more church monuments in Indre (of any type with or without effigies)  please let me know.

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