LIMOUSIN
Départments
Creuse   Corrèze   Haute-Vienne
         
   
Limousin was a former region of France made up of just three départments, as indicated. It is now part of the new larger region of Nouvelle Aquitaine. It was mainly made up of two historic provinces, Limousin and Marche; with small parts of Poitou, Auverne and Berry.
 
CORRÈZE
Commune
Aubazine  Beaumont  Coffy-sur-Sarsonne  Lubersac  Saint-Merd-les-Oussines  Saint-Sulpice-les-Bois  Soudeilles  Tulle
 
Lubersac - Église St-Étiene
The church is open and there is a free, non restricted parking at the rear. A very attractive Romanesque church but the  interior darkness prevented any satisfactory photographs.
45º26'40.7"N  1º24'7.6"E

   

Bernard de Lubersac (c. end of 14th century)

Captured at the Battle of Poitiers (1356)

The effigy was carved in the 16th century and there had been no attempt to reproduce the armour of the mid 14th century. The effigy is integral with the slab which is supported on architectural fragments
 

 
HAUTE-VIENNE
Commune
Aix-sur-Vienne  Bussière-Pointevine Le Chalard  Limoges  Maisonnais-sur-Tardoire  Razès  Sainte-Anne-Saint-Priest  Saint-Laurent-les-Églises
 Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat  Veyrac
 
Aix-sur-Vienne - Chapelle Note-Dame d'Arliquet
The town centre is south west of Limoges on the south bank of the River Vienne. The town extends to the north bank, accessible from the centre of town by a bridge. Arliquet appears to be a district of Aix-sur-Vienne on this side of the river.
The chapel is a brick building constructed in the Gothick style and opened in 1868. It is open 8.00am - Noon and 2.00 - 7.00pm (or dusk). It appears to be only used for weddings now.
45º47'56.6"N  1º9'16"E

'St Fulgence, Martyr' (527 or 533)
'Here lies the body of St Anthime, Martyr' (288 or 303)
'Here lies the body of St Honoratus, Martyr' 'St Cornelia, Virgin and Martyr'

These monuments are described as gisant reliquaries. They were constructed in the latter part of the nineteenth century. They are said to contain the relics of several martyrs which were brought from the catacombs in Rome in 1870. However, only two of these monuments have the inscriptions which actually state 'Here lies the body of...' while the other two simply have the name; I do not know if there is any significance in this or not.
The effigies are behind glass and are constructed from plaster, wax and textiles. The hair looks to be made of nylon although because of the glass screen I could not examine this closely; nylon was not used commercially until the late 1930's so this may well be a later replacement or another material altogether was originally used.

Sainte-Anne-Saint-Priest
Sainte-Anne-Saint-Priest is a commune named after two separate villages, Ste-Anne and St Priest. The church is at the former but there appears to be no church in the latter. The List also refers to  the Prieuré Sainte-Radegonde de Villevaleix as being in this commune: this is actually - and confusingly - in a third village, Villevaleix. We will visit here next time.
St Anne  -  Church of St Anne
Parking outside the church. The church is open but the monument is outside set into the west wall anyway, as may be seen in the photograph left.
Ref: 45° 42.58' N, 1° 40.92'W.


Granit effigy of a supposed Knight Hospitaler, there being a commandery in the area. The effigy is dressed as a priest and hold a book. Note the scene, which appears to be of the  preparation of a body for burial, on the tomb chest

Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat - St Leonard
This is the parish church of the town, formerly a collegiate church.
There is a large free car park in the town a very short walk away. The church is open.

Tomb of St Léonard of Noblat (11th Century)
According to legend St Léonard of Noblat (or Noblac or Limoges) was an 11th century Frankish nobleman at the court of Clovis I, founder of the Merovingian Dynasty. He was converted to Christianity by St Remigius, Bishop of Rheims and asked to King for the personal right to liberated prisoners; Clovis granted him that right. He declined the offer of a bishopric (usually given to such noblemen) and instead became a monk at an abbey near Orléans. He later became a hermit in the forest of Limousin. He became the patron saint of prisoners and prisoners who invoked him discovered that their chain broke and many then joined him, bringing their broken chains with them. The later cleared a section of the forest to begin an honest life.
Above is a probably 19th century iron shackle which hangs over the tomb. This can just be seen in the main photograph on the left.

Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat - Chapelle du Prieuré de l'Artige
 
  The list says that this priory is in St Leonard de Noblat and contains the effigy of Bernard de Savène, Bishop of Limoges (1219-1226); it is of limestone and from the second quarter of the 13th century.

  The priory is actually a short (and somewhat difficult) drive out of the town and appears to be only accessible by foot; by the time we found the not very obvious signs and arrived it was becoming too late to attempt a trek of a couple of miles. Next time hopefully.



 
 
 
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