Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Preuilly

Its first abbot was Amblardus, who came from the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Maillezais (Vendée), a house that was likewise linked to Saint-Julien. Upon the founder’s death, he was buried in the church, which subsequently served as the burial place of other members of the lordship of Preuilly. In 1025, the abbey gained its independence from Saint-Julien and thereafter maintained autonomous administration. Pope Urban II (1088–1099) confirmed the possessions it had accumulated since its foundation.

The church survives. Although Romanesque in structure, it underwent major alterations and restorations during the nineteenth century, which substantially changed its appearance. It now serves as a parish church. The building has three aisles and a double transept leading to a chancel surrounded by an ambulatory. This entire eastern section was extensively remodelled and rebuilt during the nineteenth-century restorations. At that time, two of the three radiating chapels of the ambulatory disappeared, and only the central chapel remains today. It is also noteworthy that there is a change in orientation between the axis of the chancel and that of the aisles. Outside the church, remains of the chapter house and other secondary buildings are preserved.