La Peyratte

La Peyratte is a municipality with 1138 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in western France, Deux-Sevres in the east of Poitou-Charentes region.

Location

La Peyratte lies at an altitude of 150 meters above sea level. inst far from the river Thouet about 53 kilometers northwest of Poitiers and about 82 km ( driving distance ) south of Saumur. The capital of the arrondissement, Parthenay, is located approximately seven miles to the southwest. 21 km north of la Peyratte is the remarkable place Airvault.

Demographics

Economy

La Peyratte served for a long time the agrarian villages ( hamlets ) in the area as craft and trade center. In the Middle Ages and in modern times it was on the territory of the present municipality of several water-powered mills. Today is operated mainly livestock (cattle and sheep) on the rich meadows of the water-rich environment. Also located in the municipal area, a quarry, in which mainly gravel stones mined for road construction.

History

The place name is first mentioned in a document from the year 1039, when the lord ( seigneur ) of Parthenay the Abbey of Saint -Jean- d'Angély transfers land ownership. In 1070 the possessions arrive at the disposal of the Abbey of Sainte -Croix in Talmont. Around 1120, a priory is established; in subsequent years arising the monk wing with cloister and enclosure area and the priory.

Attractions

• The single-nave parish church of Notre -Dame is a rather nondescript building from the early 12th century, the one -storey central tower was set up with a total of eight sound ports in the 14th or 15th century. In addition to the plain west portal of the church has another - somewhat more complicated designed - portal on the south side, which formerly made ​​it to the church to access the monks from the enclosure area. The three-bay nave is arched with a conical buoy and subjected by transverse arches; below the crossing tower is a beautiful eight -part rib vault. In the East, the Church concludes with a straight chorus circuit with three lancet windows, of which the middle slightly higher and wider than the two side. The walls of the room are left untreated stone, while the vault is plastered. The church is classified as a monument historique since 1913.

• In the center stands on a concentric stair-like substructure a so-called Hosanna - cross ( croix hosannière ), possibly dating from the 12th or 13th century. It impresses with its eight -part shaft whose four large round services terminate in conical peaks during the four much smaller services are slightly chamfered at its upper end and rise in the stock. The monument is crowned by a haloed Greek cross with four legs of equal length. Since 1890 it has been recognized as a monument historique.
• Outside of La Peyratte, the Château de Payré, a building from the 14th to the 16th centuries; it is since 1986 in parts of a listed building and is recognized as a monument historique. The castle is privately owned and is not open to visitors.
• A blast furnace ( Fournaux skin ) from the 17th to the 19th century for the melting of iron also is a listed building and is now part of a restaurant.
• Another - half round arched - furnace chamber was part of a brick ( tuilerie ).