Profil de la ville du Mans, Louis Boudan (1695)
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The Benedictine Priory of Saint-Laurent de Neuvy was founded in the last quarter of the 11th century from the abbey of Saint-Pierre de la Couture (Sarthe). Today, a remarkable Romanesque church survives, with a nave and transept. The chevet is formed by three semicircular apses.
- BESSE, Jean-Martial (1920). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France, vol. 8, Tours. París : Picard
- DEYRES, Marcel (1985). Maine roman. La nuit des temps, 64. Zodiaque
- PIOLIN, Dom Paul (1851-56). Histoire de l’Église du Mans. Vols. I i III. París: Julien, Lanier et Cie. Ed.
Frenai / Fresnaium / Fresneyum
(Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, Sarthe)
The Priory of Notre-Dame de Fresnay may have been founded in the 12th century from the abbey of Saint-Aubin d’Angers. Its promoter was Roscelin (1094-1176), viscount of Beaumont. Jean de Pontlogot, a monk of Saint-Aubin who served as prior of this house between 1158 and 1170, took part in its foundation.
The church consisted of a single nave with three bays ending in a semicircular apse. In 1866, a transept formed by two lateral chapels opening onto the last bay was added, while preserving the original architectural characteristics of the building.
- BESSE, Jean-Martial (1920). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France, vol. 8, Tours. París : Picard
- DEYRES, Marcel (1985). Maine roman. La nuit des temps, 64. Zodiaque
- LEFÈVRE-PONTALIS, Eugène (1902). L'église de Fresnay-sur-Sarthe. Revue historique et archéologique du Maine, vol. 51
- TABOURIER, Jules (1961). Fresnay-sur-Sarthe. Congrès archéologique de France. 119 ss. Maine. Société française d'archéologie
- TRIGER, Robert; i altres (1924). Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, ses environs et les Alpes Mancelles. Revue historique et archéologique du Maine. Vol. 81
In 873, Charles the Bald (823-877) confirmed the possession of the church and estate of Sarcé to the abbey of Saint-Vincent du Mans. It is possible that a priory dependent on that abbey had already been founded there by the end of the 10th century. The intervention of Gervais de Bellême, bishop of Le Mans between 1036 and 1055, in the restoration of the priory is recorded and, by the first half of the 13th century, donations intended for repairs are documented. The priory remained active until the Revolution, as a consequence of which it was sold.
The church preserves a single Romanesque nave, with a chapel added at a later date. On the western side opens a portal decorated with a zodiac.
- BESSE, Jean-Martial (1920). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France, vol. 8, Tours. París : Picard
- CAUVIN, Thomas (1845). Géographie ancienne du diocèse du Mans. París: Derache
- DEYRES, Marcel (1985). Maine roman. La nuit des temps, 64. Zodiaque
- LÉGEAY, Fortuné (1856). Recerches historiques sur Sarcé (Maine). París: Julien, Lanier et Cie. Ed.
- PIOLIN, Dom Paul (1851-56). Histoire de l’Église du Mans. Vols. I i III. París: Julien, Lanier et Cie. Ed.
- ROBERT, Charles; i altres, ed. (1886-1913). Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Vincent du Mans (ordre de saint Benoît) : Premier cartulaire : 572-1188. Le Mans: A. de Saint-Denis