now the relations are reversed. Externally, on the N. side may be seen
Romanesque work, and the small windows of the period. The S. side has
been completely transformed by the addition of a little ossuary and
a porch and a transept of the 16th cent. But on entering the church
the early character of the building becomes manifest. The arcades of
the nave and the chancel arch are of the 12th cent. The three bays
on the north are bold and rectangular, and, as at Fouesnant, support
relieving arches that enclose the clerestory windows. This is all 11th
cent. But the chancel arch shows distinct signs of the coming on of
the reign of the pointed style. The choir is flamboyant. Here also the
Byzantine character of the ornamentation of the 11th cent. capitals may
be observed. The east window contains 16th cent. glass, and represents
the Crucifixion. Among the statues in the church are S. Bridget and
S. Patrick, but the latter has been altered into S. Paternus. In this
church is a fireplace for warming baptismal water. The tower is of
1595. On the highway from Quimper to Benodet is the Holy Well of N.D.
de Drenec. The basin is surmounted by a niche containing a statue of
Our Lady of Pity. In times of drought the parishioners of Ergué Armel
come here to pray for rain; but those of Clohars Fouesnant go in quest
of it to Petit Ergué.
_La Forest Fouesnant._ This pretty little church is planted near the
sea. The spire is bracketed out above the west gable, and contains a
stone cage for bells. The Calvary is the earliest in the Department and
is of the 16th cent. In the presbytère is a noble chalice of the first
half of the 16th cent.
* FOUGÈRES (I.V.) chl. d'arrond. Picturesquely situated on a hill
above the Nançon. Originally a frontier town between Brittany and
France, it has preserved its venerable fortifications, but they are
crowded in by buildings. The castle was founded in the 11th cent.,
destroyed in 1166, rebuilt in 1176, has been restored. It is planted on
a rock, and was flanked by ten towers including those that commanded
the entrance. It is divided into four distinct portions, the avantcour,
the main court, the donjon, and the postern court. The entrance is
between three towers of the 12th cent. The keep was destroyed in 1630.
It rose in the midst of the second court, flanked by three towers
that still remain, that of Melusine dates from 1242. The Church of S.
Sulpice was rebuilt in 1410, but the nave and tower were not completed
till 1490. The slate spire leans. The choir, begun in the 16th cent.,
was not completed till 1765. The Church of S. Leonard was erected
1407-44, but underwent alterations in 1586-1637, and contains fragments
of old glass. Altogether Fougères is a most interesting place, and
rivals Vitré.
[Illustration: FOUGÈRES]
In the Forest of Fougères is a fallen dolmen, Pierre du Tresor, also an
alignment of 80 stones, called Le Cordon des Druides, near the ruins of
a convent founded in 1440.
LA GACILLY (M.) chl. arr. Vannes. Near the town on the road to
Malestroit, a menhir 15 ft. high, La Roche Piqué, and near it another
of the same height but fallen. On the Lande de Signé E. of Gacilly a
circular camp and the slope of the hill is pitted with excavations. The
parish church was formerly chapel to the castle and was of 14th cent.,
but was altered and enlarged 1626-31.
The Chapel of S. Jugon, 4 kilometres W.N.W. Jugon was a peasant boy who
led a devout life. P. Whitsun-Monday. Peasants take little bags of seed
to have it blessed at the end of Mass. This is then mingled with what
is to be sown.
_Cournon._ A fine dolmen, La Tablette. One of the coverers was broken
in 1820. W. is a menhir 9 ft. high, further W. other blocks that may be
the remains of an alignment.
_Les Fougerêts._ A pretty gorge with grottoes in the sides called Les
Chambres du Coucou.
_S. Congard_ (Cyngar) near Bignac. An allée couverte measuring 43 ft.
long and 4 ft. 6 in. high within. It has five coverers, of which one
only has fallen. A menhir near the wood of Misny. The Chapel of N.D.
de Quimper is an object of pilgrimage on Whitsun-Monday, and here,
possibly, may still be heard the barking of the pilgrims, an hysterical
phenomenon, that formerly accompanied the Pardon of Josselin. At
Wesley's revivalist meetings a similar phenomenon was noticed.
* GUINGAMP (C.N.). A pleasantly situated town in green surroundings,
with the little river Trieux flowing through it. The finest view of
the town with the towers of the church is from the garden of the Hôtel
de France, whence water, foliage and old buildings group admirably.
The Church of N.D. de Bonsecours is indebted to a miraculous image for
the lavish expenditure upon it. This image stands in the N. porch, and
has been accorded a gold crown from the Pope, and has been profusely
"indulgenced." The church was formerly the chapel of the Counts of
Ponthièvre. It was rebuilt in the 14th and 15th cents. and added to
in the 16th. The church consists of a nave with four aisles, double
transepts and an ambulatory round the choir. The transept and S.
transept front are of the 12th cent. The central tower and spire of
the 13th. To the same period belong the tower and turret on the N.W.
The arcade on the N. of the nave is of the 13th cent. On the S. side
the arcade is renaissance. In the spandrils are the cardinal virtues
sculptured in relief, and corbels support statues. Above the arcade
is a triforium consisting of three ranges. Above the arcade on the
north side the triforium is of the 14th cent. The choir is composed
of four bays of the 15th cent. The apse is of the same date. A
curious feature is the carrying of the triforium across the church
above the chancel arch. The transepts are lighted by rose windows of
the 14th cent. The principal porch containing the miraculous image is
closed by a grating and converted into a chapel; it contains modern
statues of the apostles. The W. doorway is a magnificent specimen of
renaissance work. Owing to the windows being all filled with modern
coloured glass overloaded with colour, the interior cannot be well seen
except on sunny days. The vaulting of the choir is sustained by flying
buttresses within the church. The fine S.W. tower is an excellent but
unfinished work of the renaissance. In the market-place is a leaden
fountain of the renaissance. A few picturesque old houses remain. The
P. is on the 1st Sunday in July. A procession with torches takes place
on the Saturday night, and bonfires are lighted in the Place. After
the religious ceremonies follow dances. N. of Guingamp on a height is
the little Chapel of S. Lambert with some early 11th cent. work, but
for the most part it was transformed in the 18th cent. The abbey of
Ste. Croix is of the 16th cent., but the church has the piers of the
transept of the 13th.
_Grâces._ The church is entirely flamboyant of 1508, and a typical
specimen. All the aisle windows are under gables. The baptistery is of
the end of the 16th cent. The relics of Charles de Blois are preserved
here.
_Pedernec._ A menhir 25 ft. high. On one face three cup-hollows. The
church was rebuilt in 1847, but the S. side aisle and arcade and a good
rose window in the transept, of the 16th cent., have been preserved.
Also a delicately carved roodscreen, out of its proper place.
_Coadout._ An allée couverte at Pen-poul-ar-hus, destroyed in 1863,
except for three stones, has one much polished. On this, according to
local tradition, S. Illtyd and S. Briac were wont to meet and pray
together, and it contains hollows supposed to have been worn by their
knees.
_Pommeret-le-Vicomte._ Remains of a dolmen at Kerbic, one coverer and
four supports still in situ. The church is of various periods. The
oldest portion is the east end, and is of the 14th cent. with a large
window. The tower and spire of 1712. In the graveyard a Calvary of the
15th cent. with a pulpit at its base. The Chapel of N.D. du Paradis is
interesting, 16th cent., with a Calvary of the same period, with the
apostles carved in relief on the octagonal base.
GOURIN (M.) chl. arr. Pontivy. An unattractive spot with poor hotel
accommodation. Hence conveyances may be had to Le Faouët. At Kerbiguet
a menhir 12 feet high and two others prostrate. The parish church is
of 1500 with a tower of 1745. Numerous chapels are scattered over the
parish: that of S. Hervé to the N.E. is of the 16th cent. and has
stained glass representing saints, and scenes in our Lord's life.
_Langonnet._ A menhir at Bodéro, 13 feet high. The parish church
has flamboyant windows and doorways, but a few pillars of the 12th
cent. remain. The tower is modern. On the S. side of the church is an
ossuary. In the cemetery a lech. The chapel of the Trinity, 1500-68,
with fine old glass representing the Jesse tree, the Passion, and the
Last Judgment, and the Life of the Virgin. The abbey of Langonnet was
founded in 1130 and is on the bank of the Ellé. It is converted into a
reformatory. Chapel of N.D. de la Pitié, P. 15th Aug.
_Le Saint_ (S. Samuel). Partly Romanesque, but with flamboyant windows.
The chapel of S. Adrian is an object of pilgrimage.
GRAND-CHAMP (M.) chl. arr. Vannes. On the north the Lande de Lanvaux,
which was once crowded with megalithic remains. Many still are to be
seen. A fine dolmen is on a rocky elevation a kilometre N. of Locperet.
The capstone measures 16 feet long. Numerous menhirs further on in the
direction of Croix-de-bois, perhaps the relics of an alignment. The
church (S. Tugdual) has been destroyed and replaced by a structure
of 1866. At Locperet is a flamboyant Chapel of S. Bridget. Another
of N.D. de Burgo is of 1528 and 1538, and near it a Holy Well. P. at
Locmaria-Grandchamp on Aug. 10th; at Moustoir des Fleurs on the 4th S.
in August. At Grand-Champ itself on the 2nd S. in Sept.
_Locqueltas._ A menhir, called Le Fuseau de la Femme de Gargantua,
15 feet high. At _Plaudren_ another 18 feet high, and bearing the
same name. It is near the road to Josselin on the Lande. The whole
neighbourhood is strewn with remains of dolmens and with fallen menhirs.
GUÉMÉNÉ (M.) chl. arr. Pontivy. Anciently Kemenet-Guegnant, owes its
origin to a castle of Guegnant, nephew of Alan Canhart, who erected it.
The fief passed to the family of Rohan. The castle was converted into a
prison for English soldiers in 1792. It is now a ruin.
_Silfiac._ A Chapel of S. Laurent of the 16th cent. with curious
carvings; near it the Holy Well of S. Nodez, which is supposed to cure
corns, and other maladies of the feet.
_Langoelan._ A dolmen on the E. of the hamlet of Villeneuve and in an
islet of the Scorff. The church is flamboyant. Le Merzer marks the
spot where Selyf or Solomon, King of Devon and Cornwall, coming to
Armorica to see his domains there, encountered the pagan natives and
was murdered by them. He was son of Geraint, who fell at Langport in
Somersetshire in 522, fighting against the Saxons. His wife was S.
Gwen, sister of Nonna, mother of S. David, and he was the father of S.
Cuby. The Chapel of S. Solomon has been destroyed.
* GUÉRANDE (L.I.) chl. arr. S. Nazaire. An interesting town
surrounded by its machicolated walls of granite, erected in 1431 by
John V., and flanked by ten towers. There are four gates; that of S.
Michel is a veritable fortress in itself defended by two lofty towers.
The Church of S. Aubin is of the 12th and 16th cents., and has two
porches, and an external pulpit of stone of the 16th cent. Within the
church the pillars have carved Romanesque capitals. There is good
glass of the 16th cent. N.D. la Blanche is a graceful chapel, erected
in 1348 by Jean de Montfort. A menhir with cup-markings at Escoblac.
Dolmens at Kerléour, Kerlo, and Sandun. A circle of stones at Kerbourg.
Guérande is a good place for a botanist to stay at who desires to study
the flora of the saltmarshes on one hand, and of the Grande Brière on
the other. The production of salt goes on largely in the salines, and
is carried on by private owners. It requires about 40 consecutive dry
days between June and September to evaporate the water. The annual
production averages 6600 tons. The Grande Brière is divided into 17
communes, and is a vast freshwater peat bed occupying the basin of an
ancient lake.
_S. Lyphard_ was a Roman station at the point where the lake of La
Brière formerly discharged into the sea. The church is of the 11th
cent. The peasants of the Bruyère wear a peculiar costume, and are true
Bretons.
LA GUERCHE (I.V.) chl. arr. Vitré. The church, of which portions belong
to the 13th and 14th cents., contains some old stained glass. At 2
kilometres to the S. is the Church of Rannée, in part Romanesque.
GUICHEN (I.V.) chl. arr. Redon. Old chateaux at Gaylieu and
Gressillonnoye.
HÉDÉ (I.V.) chl. arr. Rennes. Ruins of the castle on a rock. The church
is Romanesque. _S. Gaudran_, good glass of the 17th cent. in the
church, and two silver reliquaries of the 12th cent.
HENNEBONT (M.) chl. arr. Lorient. Prettily situated on the river
Blavet. The town is divided into the Ville Clos within its ancient
walls and the new town. A bridge connects them. The old town was
fortified by Duke Jean I. (1237-86). It played a signal part in the War
of Succession. Jean de Montfort had secured the place. At the end of
May 1342, Charles of Blois laid siege to it. Within was the Countess
Jeanne, who held out with determination, set fire to the camp of the
enemy, and leaving the town unperceived threw herself into Auray,
where she gathered reinforcements which she introduced into Hennebont
without the feeble Charles being aware what she was about. At last
provisions failed, and the magistrates insisted on capitulation. The
countess entreated for a couple of days' delay, and at the last moment
saw gleaming in the west on the sea the sails of an English fleet sent
to her relief. Charles hastily retreated, but again a few months later
laid siege to the place. He was, however, again repulsed. The parish
church (N.D. de Paradis) on the further side of the river. It is the
principal monument in Hennebont, and was erected in 1514-24, and is
consequently flamboyant before it sank in debasement. The W. front is
light and graceful and has a porch and a tower flanked by a couple
of turrets tied to it by galleries sustained on flying buttresses.
The spire rises to 150 feet. The choir ends in an apse lighted by two
stages of windows. A procession takes place on the last Sunday in Sept.
in commemoration of the cessation of an epidemic in 1699. The chapel of
S. Antoine is partly Romanesque.
_Kervignac._ A fine dolmen near the road from Hennebont to Landévant.
On the south, near Kermadio, is another. A third, small, near Lopriac.
This is one of the most ancient parishes in the diocese of Vannes. It
is mentioned as early as the 6th cent. At this time a cloud of locusts
came down on the country, and the Count Weroch, fearing famine, sought
Gunthiern, a refugee king of Gwent, who had settled at Quimperlé and
was in great repute for his austerities. Gunthiern gave water he had
blessed to the envoys of Weroch, and this drove the locusts away. In
return for this favour, Weroch granted to Gunthiern the plou of Vineac.
The Chapel of N.D. de la Clarté is of the 15th cent. That of S. Laurent
contains some remains of the screen. A Holy Well of S. Gildas is still
in request in the hamlet of Kanden.
* HUELGOAT (F.) chl. arr. Châteaulin. A picturesquely situated
townlet at the extremity of a lake that discharges amongst masses of
granite down a ravine. The ruinous condition of the granite is not due
to earthquake or to glacial action as supposed by some, but to its
composition. It contains a large amount of soluble silicate of potass.
This disappears under the action of the rain and the granite crumbles
away. Huelgoat is four miles from the nearest railway station. The
road is through the valley of the Argent, between pine-clad hills. The
granite here encounters the schist. The church is a mean renaissance
structure, but the Chapel of N.D. des Cieux is more interesting. It is
of the 16th cent. and contains some old glass of the period. A camp on
a height above the town is attributed to King Arthur.
_S. Herbot._ A chapel in the parish of Loqeffret is a picturesque
structure at the roots of the Monts d'Arrée. A stream here falls in
a pretty cascade 400 feet over rocks, and at no great distance from
the chapel are the inconsiderable remains of the renaissance Château
de Rusquec. The Chapel of S. Herbot is actually a large church and
merits attentive study. It possesses a fine square tower without spire
or pinnacles. The date is 1516. The W. front is fine. Throughout, the
carving of the granite is admirable, the foliage is treated with great
boldness. The tower of S. Herbot seems to have served as a model for
that of Carhaix, which is a few years later. On the south is a deep
porch also well sculptured, with the apostles within, and 24 little
statues in the arcade of the entrance. The date of the porch is 1498.
The apse is flamboyant like the rest of the church, but the buttresses
are later additions in 1618 and 1619. The interior is adorned with a
beautiful renaissance screen and returned stalls, but no roodloft. On
the W. face the twelve apostles, on that inside the minor prophets and
the sibyls. In the chancel is the tomb of the Saint, a hermit of whom
nothing authentic is known. It is a work of the 15th cent. There are
some old stained glass windows. That on the S. at the E. end represents
S. Yves between a rich man and a poor suitor. The date is 1556. The
central window contains the story of the Passion, that on the N., S.
Laurence on the gridiron. The date 1556, which is also probably that
of the central window. Outside the screen are two altars piled up
with cows' tails. These are offered to the Saint. Formerly they were
hung about the sanctuary. There is a little ossuary on the W. side of
the porch. The E. window is of earlier character than the rest in the
church, and is of the same character as that of Pont l'Abbé with a
transom supporting a rose. Most of the windows testify to the decline
of flamboyant, when the flames assume a tadpole form and the lights are
uncusped. In the churchyard is a Calvary.
_Brennilis_ has a church with tower and W. façade of 1485. There
are two windows of good old glass representing the Conception, S.
Christopher, and a monk. Also the life of the Virgin. The church
possesses a processional cross of 1650.
JANZÉ (I.V.) chl. arr. Rennes. The church is partly Romanesque. In the
suburbs a menhir with a hole cut in the face to receive an image of the
B.V.M.
_Essé._ Here is one of the finest covered avenues in Brittany. It
consists of a main structure with an ante-chamber, and is divided
within into compartments. The total length is 43 feet.
[Illustration: LA ROCHE AUX FÉES, ESSÉ]
JOSSELIN (M.) chl. arr. Ploermel. The capital of the ancient county
of Porhoet (Poutre-coet = the land beyond the wood). The story goes
that once upon a time a workman here found an image of the Virgin in
a bramble bush. As it soon established its character as miraculous,
a town sprang up about the sanctuary. Guethenoc, Count of Porhoet,
planted a castle here and called it after his son, who completed his
father's work in 1053. The castle became the headquarters of the counts
and then dukes of Rohan. The original castle had been taken in 1168
by Henry II. of England, and utterly destroyed, but it was rebuilt by
Eudes II. in 1173, and was held throughout the War of Succession by the
partisans of Charles de Blois. In 1370 it was acquired by Olivier de
Clisson, when fresh fortifications were added, notably the keep. Alan
IX. Viscount, (1429-62) constructed the beautiful front towards the
court. Richelieu had the towers and about half the castle blown up, in
1629, and in 1760 the duke himself pulled down two more towers.
What remains of the castle has been most carefully and tastefully
restored by the present duke, who graciously allows it to be shown to
visitors. The front to the river which bathes its walls is furnished
with three towers resting on the rock, and gives some idea of what the
castle must have been when complete. The inner façade that looks upon
what was the Cour d'honeur is a superb example of domestic architecture
in the 15th cent., already under the influence of renaissance ideas.
The ten gables of the dormer windows are connected by a balustrade
of the richest design, greatly varied, but repeating the device of
the Rohans, A Plus. The Church of Notre Dame was originally late
Romanesque, and still retains pillars and a window of the period,
but the bulk of the church is much posterior. The choir and lateral
chapels and the crossing of the transepts date from 1390-1407. The rest
of the church is later still. The N. transept was added in 1491. In
this church, in 1351, the Franco-Breton company of Thirty made their
communion before meeting in deadly combat the Anglo-Bretons of the
same number at the cross of Mi-voie. They made a vow before the statue
of S. Cadoc that still remains in the church. In Notre Dame is the
tomb of Olivier de Clisson, 1507, who married Marguerite de Rohan. An
"indulgenced" procession takes place here on Whitsun-Monday. Formerly
it was accompanied by barking women, taken with hysterical excitement
which made them utter sounds like the barking of dogs. This phenomenon
first appeared in 1728 and was renewed annually. Nothing of the sort
takes place now. The bold square tower is of the 17th cent. with
picturesque slate cap. A new tower and spire are being added at the E.
end. This is well enough, if the old tower be left, and the grouping
will be effective; but if the latter be pulled down as is proposed, the
new spire will be a poor substitute. Inside the church on the right
hand is a niche containing a skull to which the peasants make offerings
of grain, to cure headaches. None know whose skull it is, but it has
recently been enclosed in a wooden silvered bust of S. Laurence.
[Illustration: THE COURT, JOSSELIN]
The priory church of Ste. Croix is of the 11th cent. Romanesque. S.
Martin's was erected in the 12th cent. and is now a ruin. In 1793
the Republican garrison of Josselin swept the country to capture the
priests, and was fallen upon and defeated by the exasperated peasantry.
In 1795 they burned the church of Guegon and smashed the Calvary, but
were again attacked and driven off by the peasants.
The famous Battle of the Thirty took place on the _Lande de Mi-Voie_,
between Ploermel and Josselin. The English-Bretons were under Captain
Bramber or Bemborough, and the French-Bretons under the Sire de
Beaumanoir, governor of Josselin. Although it has been regarded as a
battle between English and French, there were actually but three or
four of English nationality on the De Montfort side, the rest were
Gascons, Angevins and Flemings. Success would perhaps have been with
the Anglo-Bretons, had not one of the French perfidiously violated the
rules laid down before the engagement, mounted his horse and by this
means broke the Anglo-Breton line.
The country around is well-wooded and pretty. The town is dirty and
ruinous.
_Guegon._ The church is in the late Romanesque of the 12th cent., when
the style was in transition to 1st pointed. The south aisle is of 1560
and late flamboyant. In a window is stained glass representing the
apostles; it is of 1563. The tower and spire were the loftiest in the
diocese, but were struck by lightning in 1705.
_S. Servan._ To this parish Gobrian, Bishop of Vannes, retired in 717
and here died in 725. He was buried in his oratory. A village grew up
about his tomb that bore his name. This is now a chapelry, and the
chapel is of the 11th cent. with additions of the 15th cent. The nave
is floored, forming an upper chamber which served as a hospital for the
sick seeking health at the tomb of the Saint.
JUGON (C.N.) chl. arr. Dinan. A prettily situated town at the junction
of two valleys, each occupied formerly by a lake and dominated by
a strong castle at the fork. One of the lakes has been drained and
the castle has been destroyed. The church has nave and S. tower, 2nd
pointed and good. There is a curious W. doorway. Choir and transepts
are flamboyant. The church has been "restored" in execrable taste. The
road from Jugon to Dinan runs over high and dreary country, moors only
partially reclaimed.