The church Saint Peter in the small village of Druye is today primarily 12th century. It was built to replace a more primitive 11th century building. It is not a very striking building from the outside...
...but inside has a little more to offer.Whether the chandeliers add anything to its internal appeal is debatable.
Odd choice don't you think? Perhaps donated by a parishioner?
The church consists of a single nave with a vaulted ceiling leading to a semi circular apse lit by three windows. The rather garish paint job was done in the early 20th century by an obviously enthusiastic painter to try and recreate how it may have looked much earlier in its history.
The main altar has a rather unusual crest of a sheep taking centre stage - representing the 'lamb of God' perhaps?
The side altar to the left contains a rather splendid 15th century statue of the 'Virgin and Child'.
Not really sure if much, if any, of the frescoes are of an early age...
...but the wall paintings are not fairing nearly as well as those above your head.
There is an odd 'boxed in' baptismal font...
...plus some interesting artwork and the usual collection of saints.
Plus one of 'Blessed Peter Ploquin' a vicar of the church who was killed during the French Revolution.
Where's Joan
She's here playing a tiny second fiddle to Saint Theresa.
Outside you can see evidence of a side aisle that had been added along with a chapel in the 16th century but this had to be pulled down after the church was ransacked and partially destroyed by Huguenots in 1562 as they passed through the village on their way to Chinon. The bell tower of the church was added to the front of the church during the 18th century.
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I think that the crest of the lamb has to do with St. John...
ReplyDeleteit was the crest on the badge of my junior school...
St.Johns!!
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/bartolome-esteban-murillo-the-infant-saint-john-with-the-lamb
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