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St Nicholas’ Church |
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St
Nicholas’ Church
St Nicholas’s Church is built on the remains of Trémolat’s
first, 9th century church. Two arches, north and south of the
nave at the transept crossing, date from this period. The
arches, built of brick and stone, stand on an impost above a
column. It is not known why this church was destroyed. Perhaps
Aimerac de Mussidan who was given the monastery by his brother,
planned a bigger church and his independence with it ? The
church which stands in its place was built between 1125 and
1160. Pierre Dubourg Noves and Laure Guinet Abrial have both
made studies of it.
The monastery buildings stood to the south of the church as
was traditional, and the chapter house to the east. Of the
latter, three bays still stand as do the monk’s quarters where
on the upper floor the outline of a dormitory door leading
directly to the church (and thereby providing access for night
time prayers) can be seen. To the south is the refractory and
the kitchen and to the west the lay worker’s quarters, the
cellar and the reserve. Everything has, of course, been
substantially altered since the 12th century but the general
outline is clear enough. The central cloisters no longer exist.
The monastic church may well have retained the name of Mary
Mother of God but inside the church a small chapel was
dedicated to St Nicholas and served by a curate, hence its
name today. |
