|
The commune of Lignières de Touraine is situated at the crossroads of four Châteaux : Azay-le-Rideau, Langeais, Ussé and Villandry.
Its 930 inhabitants occupy an area of 1000 hectares in what is primarily an arboricultural and winegrowing area.
Archaeology:
In 1906, a sarcophagus containing the skeleton of a child surrounded by numerous funerary objects was unearthed in the vineyards of Le Coudray. Most remarkably of all, this child was still grasping a coin intended to pay for his crossing of the River Styx. Other discoveries include the remains of Roman walls at la Sagottière, an ancient cemetery opposite Fontenay, and an underground refuge (three chambers branching off from an access corridor at Les Enaux.
The church:
Dedicated to Saint Martin, the church dates mainly from the 12th century. It is remarkable for the sobreity of its architecture and was listed as an historic monument in 1907 for the quality of its 13th century wall paintings which adorn the vaulted ceiling of the choir. The narratives of the paintings read from right to left.
One one side of the upper register, there is the Genesis, the Garden of Eden, the Temptation of Adam and Eve and Adam and Eve banished from Paradise. On the upper register itself, there is the Banquet of the Rich Man, the Death of the Poor Man, the Death of the Rich Man and his Condamnation to Hell.
On the other side of the upper register is a representation of the Temptation: Jesus in the
Desert, Jesus in the Holy City at the Top of the Temple and Jesus at the Summit of the Mountain. The cross springer between the nave and the choir features a calendar of work to be carried out in each month of the year. The two lower scenes for December and January were destroyed during the renovation of the church in 1876.
Next to the altar of the Virgin Mary is a bust of Abbé
Pierre-Paul Brisacier, (1831-1923), who studied to be both a priest and an architect. The church at Hommes and Notre Dame de France in Jerusalem were built according to his plans. Also a sculptor, he created the marble statue of Our Lady of Lourdes situated at the entrance to the Great Chapel.
Contemporary history:
On July 16th 1944, two British aircraft collided over Marnay.
Fifteen English and Australian airmen lie buried in Lignières cemetery.
In the surrounding area, private properties can be seen from the road:
Not far from the church, there are several old 15th and 16th century residences. The Château de Fontenay, 1 km from Lignières on the Villandry road, was built on the site of a Gallo-Roman villa. It dates from the 15th and 16th centuries and features two buildings at right-angles to each other. The north building is flanked by two cylindrical towers. Part of the moat still remains.
|
