Mans, Le, Saint-Julien
MANS

Building Data for Mans, Le, Saint-Julien

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  • Type: Cathedral
  • Affiliation:
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  • Region: Pays de la Loire
  • Department: Sarthe
  • Coords: 48.009, 0.1987
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  • Surveyed: 1977, 2005, 2011, 2017

Map

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Studies These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.
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These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.

Documents for Mans, Le, Saint-Julien

1134



Fire destroyed the cathedral.

GUIDO PRECIPUE SUPER MATRIS ECCLESIE COMBUSTIONEM CONDOLUIT. AD CUJUS RESTAURATIONEM CC LIBRAS CENOMANNENSIUM DENARIORUM SINE MORA CONTULIT,...

When Guy [was bishop] over the mother church it suffered from a fire. He gave without delay 200 livres of the money of Le Mans for the restoration,...

Source: Salet, 1961, 22, note 6. Busson and Ledru, Actus pontificum, 437.


1134



Fire destroyed the cathedral 3 September.

Un incendie endomagea cettes oeuvres le 3 septembre 1134: apres un autre incendie, survenu quelques années plus tard, l’évêque Hugues de Saint-Calais répara le choeur;...

A fire damaged these works the 3rd of September 1134: after another fire, a few years later, Bishop Hugh of Saint-Calais repaired the choir;...

Source: Stein, 1928, 358; Stein cites no original source.


1134



Fire destroyed the basilica.

TUNC CENOMANNIS EPISCOPALUS BASILICA, QUAE PULCHERRIMA ERAT, CONCREMATA EST.

Thus the basilica of the bishop of Le Mans, which had been beautiful, was burned.

Source: Salet, 1961, 22, note 6. Cites Le Prévost, Orderici Vitalis, v, 41.


1134, 3 September



Fire destroyed the works

ANNO QUOQUE DOMINI MCXXXIIII, LUNA XIIII. III NONAS SEPTEMBRIS, VIII ORDINATIONIS GUIDONIS...TOTA CENOMANNENSIS CIVITAS, CUM OMNIBUS ECCLESIIS QUAE INTRA MUROS CONTINEBANTUR EVANUIT IN FAVILLAS...

In the year of Our lord 1134, the 14th moon, 3rd of the nones of September, the eight year of the ordination of Guy...the entire city of Le Mans, with all of the churches that were within the walls perished in ashes...

Source:

1158



Nave completed 28 April.

...son successor Guillaume de Passavant continua la restauration de la nef et du transept; c’est à lui qu’est due la voute de la nef actuelle. Ces travaux étaient achevés en 1158.

...his [Hugues de Saint-Calais] successor, Guillaume de Passavant continued the restoration of the nave and transept; the current vault of the nave is due to him. These works were completed in 1158.

Source: Fleury, 1210, 271.


1158



Nave dedicated 28 April.

ACTUM EST AUTEM HOC AD INCARNATIONE DOMINI MCLVIII IN CASTRO LAVALLENSI...REGNANTE NOBILISSIMO REGE HENRICO, EODEM SCILICET ANNO QUO DEDICATA EST BEATI JULIANI CENOMANNENSIS EPISCOPI ECCLESIA.

This was also done in the year of Our Lord 1158 in the castle of Laval...during the reign of King Henri, of course the same year in which Saint-Julien, the church of the bishop of Le Mans was dedicated.

Source: Salet, 1961, 23, note 2. From the cartulary of  La Couture, 69.


1158



Nave dedicated 28 April.

IPSE AECCLESIAM BEATI JULIANI...MULTA SOLEMPNITATE FECIT DOMINO CONSECRARI EX COMMUNI EORUM ET FRATREM SUORUM CONSILIO, INSTITUENS QUATINUS ILLA DIE QUA FACTA EST ILLA CELEBRIS DEDICATIO, SCILICET DIE LUNA PROXIMA POST QUASIMODO GENETI...QUOTANNIS...DEDICATIONIS FESTIVITAS CELEBRETUR.

The church of Saint-Julien...was consecrated with great solemnity for the Lord with the approval of the community and the brothers, instituted on the same day as was the dedication, that is the first full moon after Low Sunday,...every year...that the dedication festivities were celebrated.

Source: Salet, 1961, 23, note 2. Busson and Ledru, Actus pontificum, 468.

1217, November



Permission to build across town walls

...ECCLESIAM SUAM DESIDERANT AMPLIARI, EANDEM ECCLESIAM FACIANT AMPLIOREM, ITA QUOD IPSUM OPUS ECCLESIE MURUM CIVITATIS TRANSCENDAT JUXTA AULAM EPISCOPI CENOMANNENSIS, SI TAMEN HOC VOBIS PLACEAT ET NULLUM DAMPNUM EXINDE VOBIS PROVENIAT. CONCESSIMUS ETIAM DICTIS CANONICIS UT AD REMOVENDAS IMMUNDITIAS CLAUDANT PALICIO VEL ALIA LIGNEA CLAUSURA FOSSATA PERTINENTIA AD ECCLESIAM MEMORATAM, SECUNDUM LONGITUDINEM CLAUSTRI CANONICORUM, ET LICEAT EIS INTRA CLAUSURAM ILLAM HABERE ORTOS, SICUT EOS ANTIQUITUS IBIDEM HABERE SOLEBANT; CLAUSURA AUTEM CIRCA PREDICTA FOSSATA TALIS FIAT QUOD NON SIT DEFENSABILIS.

They wanted to enlarge their church, whereas to enlarge the church the walls of the city would be breached next to the palace of the bishop of Le Mans, if it pleases you and causes you no financial hindrance. We also concede to said canons the removal of dirt and even the wooden palisade pertaining to the aforementioned church, along the length of the canon's cloister, and permit them to have their gardens inside the cloister, as they have formerly been accustomed to having; as the enclosure around said embankment is not defensible.

Source: Nortier, Michel, Recueil des actes de Philippe Auguste, vol. IV, 1215-1223 , 130-131. Diplome No 1505, ex No. 1777 of Delisle inventory after a thirteenth century copy.

1233



Romanesque choir still standing.

Il est vraisembable que l’on construisit ensuite les treize chapelles qui, sur leurs hautes fondation, enveloppent entièrement le sanctuaire, ce qui permettait de conserver provisoirement celui d’Arnaud, lequel n’était pas encore détruit en 1226 ni même en 1233.

It is likely that the thirteen chapels were constructed next which, from their tall foundations, entirely enveloped the sanctuary, this allowing the provisional conservation of [the choir] of Arnaud, which had not yet been destroyed in 1226 or even 1233.

Source: Salet, 1961, 46. Busson and Ledru, Actus pontificum, 199.

1254



Consecration 27 April.

...HIC [GAUFRIDUS DE LOUDONO] CUM HONORE SUMMO ET GAUDIO ET CURIA DUORUM DIERUM GENERALI...CAPSELLAM, CORPUS BEATISSIMI JULIANI CONTINENTEM, MULTIS PRELATIS ET BARONIBUS PRESENTIBUS, PROPRIIS HUMERIS, QUINTO KALENDAS MAII, IN NOVAM ECCLESIAM REPORTAVIT ET IN IPSIUS CAPITE HONORIFICE COLLOCAVIT...

...Here [Godfrey of Laon] and the court gathered for two days with great honor and delight...the capsule containing the body of Saint julien was properly buried, in the presence of numerous prelates and barons, the 27th of April, brought back into the new church and placed honorably into the choir...

Source: Busson and Ledru, Actus pontificum, 486, note 3. Also Mortet, 1916, 258, note 2.


1254



Translation into the new choir.

...ASSIGNARETUR DIES QUA CORPUS BEATISSIMI JULIANI IN NOVO OPERE TRANSFERRETUR. QUOD FACTUM EST DIE LUNE POST OCTABAS SANCTI PASCHE, ANNO DOMINI M CC QUINQUAGESIMO QUARTO.

...it was on this day that the remains of Saint-Julien were transferred to the new work. This occurred the first full moon after the Easter octave, the year of Our Lord 1254.

Source: Busson and Ledru, Actus pontificum, 490. Also Mortet, 1916, 258.