Brittany 22

Brittany 22

PLOERMEL (M.) chl. d'arr. The town stands but a little distance

from the pretty lake of Le Duc, surrounded with trees. It occupies

rising ground and has in its midst a magnificent church (1511-1602)

chiefly remarkable for its collection of 16th century glass. This

represents--1. Jean l'Epervier, Bishop of S. Malo, kneeling before the

B.V.M. and S. Michael; 2. dated 1533 is Pentecost, a superb piece of

colouring; 3. the Life of S. Armel; 4. a Jesse tree, the finest of all;

5. the Passion; 6. the Death and Assumption of the B.V.M.; 7. a window

of 1602 contains diverse subjects; and 8. the Last Supper. Beside these

old windows some modern glass is "a thing to shudder at not to see."

Indeed the French do not seem in glass painting to have got beyond

the crude stage of English beginnings forty years ago. The church

is throughout flamboyant, except the west tower. Under an enormous

arch, that includes a flamboyant window, is a double entrance to the

N., with rich figure carving over it representing sacred subjects,

the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Flight into Egypt, etc. But

the buttress on the W. was carved when the religious Gothic feeling

was dead, and it is covered with renaissance sculpture, where only

buffoonery and paganism find __EXPRESSION__. Syrens, monsters, a cobbler

sewing up his wife's mouth, a woman pulling off her husband's hat, a

sow playing a bagpipe, two nude figures, one on the back of the other,

each blowing a horn, etc., form the decoration. At a little distance

from the town on the Vannes road, about a hundred yards on one side in

a pretty situation, is the Holy Well of S. Armel, of the 17th cent.

Ploermel is the headquarters of the Frères Lammenais, who carry on the

religious instruction of the boys in almost every parish in Brittany,

and in other parts of France as well, and the colonies, in opposition

to the godless governmental schools. From Ploermel the visitor will

probably go on to Josselin, _which see_.

 

PLOEUC (C.N.) chl. arr. S. Brieuc. Several menhirs, but some of them

are broken. The church is of 1752. Ploeuc lies high.

 

_Plaintel._ A remarkable menhir 15 feet high planted point downward.

Church of 1759.

 

PLOUAGAT (C.N.) chl. arr. Guingamp, near Châtelaudren. In the

churchyard a Christian lech bearing the inscription VORMVNI. Ruins of

the priory of N.D. des Fontaines, some portions of which go back to

Romanesque, but the major portion belongs to the 15th cent.

 

_Goudelin._ The Chapel of N.D. de l'Ile was founded in the 15th cent.

and contains a statue of S. Eligius dressed in Breton _bragou-bras_.

 

_Lanrodic._ Le Vieux Château de Perrun is a good example of a camp,

probably of the Northmen invaders and devastaters of Brittany or of the

Merovingians. The embankment was revetted with blocks of quartz not set

in mortar. The new château is a fine mediæval ruin. It is surrounded by

a deep moat and possesses a cylindrical tower with machicolation. All

the rest of the original castle has disappeared, but in the midst of

the court is a château built at the time of the renaissance, but that

was burnt and gutted at the Revolution. It has, however, preserved its

façade and some of its fine chimney-pieces. Among the fallen masses of

sculpture may be seen a fragment of a verse of Virgil. "Quid pius Æneas

tanto dabit indole dignum."

 

_S. Pever._ Ruins of the Château of Avauguer on a promontory above the

Trieux and the lake. The chapel is of the 13th and 14th cents. and

contains remains of an alabaster retable of the 16th cent.

 

* PLOUARET (C.N.) chl. arr. Lannion, at the junction of the branch

line to Lannion. A prettily situated little town in a well-wooded

country and with charming walks about it up the rocky broom-covered

valleys. The neighbourhood teems with objects of interest, and it

makes excellent headquarters for interesting excursions. The church is

curious. It consists of nave and side-aisles all under one enormous

roof and lighted through aisle windows under gables. It is flamboyant

and has a square E. end that contains a fine window of geometric

tracery, but not of 2nd pointed date, apparently, judging from the

stiffness and lack of skill in the treatment. It looks like an attempt

of a flamboyant architect to revive the earlier style. The tower is

dated 1554, when it was begun, but in style it is later, and is an

admirable example of a renaissance tower at its best period. The

mountain, visible to the south is the _Menezbré_, from the top of which

the Seven Saints cursed Conmore, with the result that the Usurper of

Domnonia was deserted on all sides as one "fey" and was killed in 555.

 

_Loquivy-Plougras._ The fine Chapel of S. Emilion, the largest example

of its kind in the Department, is of the 16th cent. It was begun in

1516 and the tower added in 1566.

 

For the beautiful chapel of _Keramanachx_, _see_ under _Plonevez

Moedec_, and for _Tonquedec_, _see_ Lannion.

 

_Trégrom._ At Keranscot is a menhir 19 feet high called Menbras. At

300 paces from it is another 10 feet high. The church (S. Brendan

of Clonfert) has been judiciously restored. It is 2nd pointed and

is very prettily situated. The S. aisle was intended to be vaulted,

but only the vaulting shafts remain. The S. porch has good 2nd

pointed mouldings, and over it is an interesting statue of the Irish

traveller-saint who discovered Madeira and the Canaries. The W. turret

is for two bells. A quaint four-light square-headed window lights the

baptistery. Brendan was forced to leave Ireland, owing to his having

accidentally caused the death of a pupil, and he spent seven years in

exile. Following the sun at midsummer, he reached Iceland, but did not

remain there. The story of his voyages was embroidered by fancy, and

converted into an Irish version of Sinbad the Sailor; but the greater

part of his time of exile was spent in Brittany, where he founded

two monasteries, one on the isle of Cézambre opposite S. Malo, and

the other in the land of Heth, the site of which is not determined,

but it was probably _Lanvellec_, which is also dedicated to him. The

church there is modern, but in the churchyard is an elegant 16th cent.

ossuary. Near the road from Plouaret to Keramanach is the curious

chapel of _S. Carré_, built in 1697. It is a typical example of the

period, all the detail is Italian, but the Gothic feeling is present

in the main lines. E. of it is the Holy Well of the same period, well

preserved. The P. at S. Carré is on Whitsunday.

 

_Vieux Marché._ The church is a huge modern flamboyant structure,

successful except for the mean, pinched tower. The flamboyant doorway

of the original church has been inserted at the west end of the new

church, and some quaint carvings are preserved at the N. doorway. A

pretty walk up the glen of about three miles leads to the chapel of the

Sept-Saints, a cruciform structure erected in 1702, with a S. transept

over a dolmen that serves as crypt, and with an altar in it to the

Seven Sleepers. At S. Marcel at some little distance from Plouaret is a

mutilated statue of a Roman horseman trampling on a half human monster,

that receives a religious cult. Although the heads have been knocked

off, and the clergy set their faces strongly against this devotion, the

peasantry still have recourse to the image. Those paralysed are hoisted

upon the back of the horse, and quite as well authenticated cases of

cure are produced there as at some of the approved shrines.

 

PLOUBALAY (C.N.) chl. arr. Dinan. Modern church. Ruins of the Château

de Crochais.

 

_S. Jacut-de-la-Mer._ The site of an ancient abbey founded by Gwethenoc

and Jacut, brothers of S. Winwaloe, at the beginning of the 6th cent.

The brothers in Breton mythology replaced the Heavenly Twins of classic

mythology, and were wont to be seen when invoked steering a vessel

that was in danger of being overwhelmed and wrecked at sea. The abbey

was given over in commendam to favourites at court, and the few monks

left in it without supervision led such idle and worthless lives that

the feeling of the country was roused against them, and when the

Revolution broke out, the peasants tore down the monastery to its very

foundations so as to leave of it no trace whatever. There is now a

conventual establishment at S. Jacut that receives boarders for the

bathing season. The tower of Ebihens on an island was built in 1697.

 

_Trégon._ An allée couverte called Les Vielles Hautières is near

the high road, and is 48 ft. long. Fourteen uprights sustain seven

capstones. About 400 paces from this is a fallen dolmen. A vulgar

modern church takes the place of an early Romanesque structure.

 

_Château de Guildo._ The old Castle is a ruin, in which Gilles de

Bretagne was playing a game of tennis when snatched away, by order of

his brother, Francis I., to be starved to death at La Hardouinais.

 

* PLOUDALMEZEAU (F.) chl. arr. Brest. The church was rebuilt in 1857,

but the tower remains of 1775. Ploudalmezeau is in the old Pays d'Ach,

and the British refugees swarmed hither, landing in the estuaries of

the Aber Vrach, Aber Benoit, and the Aber Iltut. P. of S. Bridget, 15th

August.

 

_Lampaul Ploudalmezeau._ Remains of an allée couverte, and by the

roadside from Ploudalmezeau a menhir trimmed into shape and surmounted

by a cross between two others of very early character. The church (S.

Pol de Léon) is very charmingly situated among trees, and the tower

is not of the type of renaissance so common. It more resembles that

of Pleyben, and is remarkably well proportioned and dignified. It

has a gallery above the porch, another at the summit of the tower,

and curious flying buttresses support the turrets at the angles, and

a cupola in the centre surmounted by a lantern on three stages. The

church itself is late flamboyant. The porch is wide and enriched with

Ionic pillars, within it is vaulted, and the groins meet in a pendant.

A curious statue in the S. transept represents the Virgin and child.

She is trampling on the Devil, who tauntingly upholds the fatal apple.

Good metal-work encloses the baptistery. The N. aisle has been rebuilt.

There is a Holy Well, but without character, in the churchyard.

 

_Landunevez._ La Four is a rock rising 200 ft. above the sea, and is

supposed to indicate the point where the Ocean begins and the Channel

ends. Fine ruins of the castle of Trémazan, where was born Tanguy du

Châtel, who died 1449. He was one of the Generals of Charles VI. and

Charles VII. After the Battle of Agincourt, things did not run as

smoothly as represented by Shakespeare. The French Court was torn by

factions. At the head of one was Jean sans Peur, Duke of Burgundy; at

the head of the other the Armagnacs, the partisans of the Dauphin. In

place of combining against the victorious English, they were engaged in

murderous affrays between themselves. One night the Burgundians fell on

and slaughtered the Armagnacs in the streets of Paris, and the Dauphin

was only saved by Tanguy du Châtel, who smuggled him off to Milan. The

Constable of France and the Chancellor were both murdered, and the

massacre lasted three days. Richard, fourth brother of Duke John V. of

Brittany, at great risk secreted and carried off Marie d'Anjou, wife

of the Dauphin. The Duke of Brittany entered Paris and put a term to

the horrors that were being perpetrated. Meanwhile the English were

advancing, and burning the towns on their march. At length the Duke of

Burgundy and the Dauphin agreed to meet and come to terms at Montereau.

But no sooner were they face to face than they burst into mutual

recrimination. This so exasperated Tanguy, that with an axe he split

the skull of the Duke. This fresh crime threw the Burgundians into the

arms of the English. The war was concluded by the Treaty of Amiens,

1423. At Landunevez are a dolmen, and at Argenton a menhir 18 ft. high.

Patronal feast 3rd Sunday in Sept., P. of Kersaint Ascension Day and

Aug. 15th; P. of S. Gonvel, 2nd Sunday in Sept., and P. of S. Samson, 3rd Sunday in July.