And now reviewing older posts and updating many, I have found left out many interesting monuments to see and visit in my neck of the woods of Bretagne/Brittany/Breizh! This is the case of the Church of St Peter or église de St Pierre of Ploemeur down south by the coast of my beautiful Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne. Therefore, it is time to give credit when it is deserve; here is my take on the church.
Ploemeur is a town on the Atlantic coast bordering four cities: Lorient, Larmor-Plage, Guidel and Quéven. Off the coast is the island of Groix, three nautical miles from the mainland. Ploemeur has 17 km of coastline. On this range there are several beautiful beaches, without counting several coves. Ploemeur comes from the Breton “Plo Meur” (great parish).
Sainte Ninnoc is native to the present country of Wales. She landed in Armorique in the 5C on a stone ship…, among seven other ships, to join a part of her family. Sainte Ninnoc received from King Erich, son of Aldrien, the land necessary for its implantation near a pond. There is only the name of the village and the pond of Lannénec as well as the fountain Sainte-Ninnoc, the last vestige of this period. Saint Ninnoc is thus the founding Abbess of the double monastery of Lannénec, in 456 and 458, and of the parish of Ploemeur. One of the monasteries was for men, the other for women. This is the first female monastery in Armorique. Viking raids took place in the 10C, and the monasteries were burned.
The Church of St. Pierre (St Peter) from 1037, renovated in the 13C, 16C, and again in the 18C. It is also, known as the Church of St Peter of the Links (or Liens) . It comprises a nave of seven bays with aisles and a flat bedside choir. Between the nave and the choir, the triumphal arch, redone in third-point in the 16C, is supported by columns from the 11C to capitals decorated with windings, leaves and animals.
The columns are the only vestiges of the Romanesque church. The nave rebuilt in the 18C with large arched arches resting on stacks of impositions recalls the Romanesque plan. The choir, behind which the sacristy forms apse outside, was completed in 1729. The bell tower, located on the western porch, was started in 1686. The porch is topped by a curvilinear pediment and bears a crest with hammered arms and a cartridge engraved with a Latin inscription meaning: “enterprise according to the pious wishes of the parishioners on June 1, 1686 “. The south gate is from the 18C. It is worth mentioning the altarpiece and woodwork of the 18C choir and, under the porch, a wooden Christ of Pity, of the 16C. The “Way of the Cross “, artwork by Xavier de Langlais, dates from 1959.
It has been renovated for centuries, and now has a grand nave with seven transepts, and a choir flat; between the nave and the choir there is a triomphe arch redone in the 16C with two columns from the 11C wrap with leaves, animals etc and are the only remains of the Romanesque Church . The nave was rebuilt in the 18C with large arcades. The choir of which behind lies the sacristy was done in 1729. The bell on the western tower began in 1686 with the porch and door has a Latin inscription meaning ” began according to the wishes of the parishioners on June 1st 1686″. The south porch is from the 18C. Inside, you have a pretty good size nave with a simple altar, a side prayer chapel and an upper sitting chapel to view the altar from above.
The city of Ploemeur on St Peter’s Church: https://www.ploemeur.com/visiter/patrimoine/les-chapelles/leglise-saint-pierre/
The parish of Ploemeur on St Peter’s Church: https://paroisses-ploemeur-larmorplage.fr/leglise-saint-pierre-ploemeur/
The city of Ploemeur on other things to see : https://www.ploemeur.com/visiter/a-voir/carte-didentite/
It is nice to stop by here as you can my previous posts on Ploemeur. Plenty to see for a day and we love it. Hope you enjoy the post on the St Peter’s Church.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 