The Church Saint Ouen of Marcillé-Robert !

Posted in Bretagne, France

I am back into my best mode, road warrior! I am looking to find new areas not visited or hardly passing by for a more in depth look, and I am thrill to share it with the world! I came to see other towns but as usual drove by some nice ones too, this is the case of Marcillé-Robert with its 970 inhabitants !  The town is  located in the department 35 of Ille et Vilaine in my lovely Bretagne region, It is located 38 km from Rennes, and 26 km from Vitré, and 160 km from my house. I passsed by it and saw the nice Church Saint Ouen ! Therefore, let me tell you a bit more of the Church Saint Ouen of Marcillé-Robert ! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Marcillé Robert ch Saint Ouen front passing feb24

On December 21, 1687, General de Marcillé decided to rebuild the parish church (it was the old Romanesque church built by the Benedictines of the priory of Marcillé) which was too small and ready to fall into ruin. The new Church Saint Ouen was not completed until 1713 , and was rebuilt again in 1830,

The Church Saint-Ouen built between the 17C and the 19C, It was begun in 1688, completed in 1713, it is composed of a nave ending in a semi-circular apse and a transept. The south face has a bell tower-porch built in 1713 ,and reconstructed in 1830 with an ossuary. The interior has a wooded vault, the apse is decorated with paintings which have been restored. A large altarpiece dating from 1825 with twisted columns decorated with foliage is flanked by two rounded wings. It is topped with an octagonal hull-shaped roof and a campanile.

Marcillé Robert ch Saint Ouen side passing feb24

The top of the Church Saint Ouen with its three altarpieces of around 1700. These have hardly been altered. However, their statues were renewed in the 19C, apart from those in the upper niches of the side altarpieces. These had a painting in the center, redone in 1825, then replaced by a niche at the end of the 19C. The restorable choir painting evokes the Adoration of the Shepherds. As you can see, this church has no shortage of statues. There are nine for the Virgin Mary! The church is flanked to the south by a prior chapel from around 1650, prior to the reconstruction of the choir. The high altar is accompanied by a rare original painted paneling with the Trinity welcoming martyrs and two Angels in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. The two high altars happen to be the most important wooden ones in Ille-et-Vilaine, and the pulpits also had a lot in common. This church is only one of a couple who have painted paneling from the time of Louis XIV. The tower was rebuilt between 1830 and 1834 but on the same model as in the 18C. On the other hand, the spire was replaced by a lighter frame

The founding charter of the Benedictine priory has been preserved. The main actors are on one side Rivallon the Vicar (he is the founder of Vitré and the father of this Robert whose name is attached to Marcillé) and on the other Ebrard, the abbot of Marmoutier de Tours between 1015 and 1032. It is believed that the Romanesque church built by the monks has disappeared, but a closer look suggests that the base of the north and south walls of the nave has survived. On the north side, an arched doorway bordered by a torus, blocked today, has every chance of being Romanesque, especially as it borders a very characteristic flat buttress. It must rather be assumed that the nave is in place and that it was preceded by a narrower choir. On this structure, usual for most of the first stone churches, a lordship chapel, a sacristy and a porch were subsequently grafted, but the whole was taken up again from the end of the 17C, both for the architecture and the furniture, imitating what had been done a little earlier in Retiers.

Other interesting monument to see here with more time is the Château de la Motte, in neo-Gothic style, was built in 1872-1873 on the site of the old priory on behalf of the Lesage family of La Haye

The town of Marcillé-Robert is integrated into the canton of La Guerche de Bretagne (see post), but adheres to the Roche aux fées community, within an innovative and dynamic territory. The town is a very old ; money was minted there from the beginning of the 7C. A castle was built at the beginning of the 11C by the first lord of Vitré, Riwallon, for his son Robert: it was then that Marcillé took the name Robert. In 1472 Duke François II, who was then fighting against the king of France Louis XI established his camp during a month at Marcillé-Robert. The castle fortress was taken in 1488 by Louis II de La Trémoille on the service of the king of France, Charles VIII, The castle was dismantled in 1595 on the orders of Henri IV. By inheritance, the property of the lordship of Marcillé passed in 1606 from the counts of Laval to the de la Trémoille family, Henri I de La Trémoille taking the name of Guy XXI de Laval.

The town of Marcillé-Robert on its heritage : https://www.marcille-robert.bzh/tourisme-et-patrimoine

There you go folks, a beautiful monument for all to see The ride was wonderful in country roads the real life of France ! I bring you passing by the Church Saint Ouen ! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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