Notre-Dame of Vernouillet
It is with the museum of the friends of the old Bourbon of Bourbon Archambault that the statue of the former priory of Vernouillet is. It makes the object of a pilgrimage on September 8, festival of the nativity, for the future grooms and sterile couples. This virgin in majesty remained in the monastery Benedictine of Vernouillet until the revolution. Then hidden in the trunk of a oak, too narrow to contain it, the child was planed.
The priory is a private property now, and the visitors badly-came.
“The
whole of the priory was sold 5300 pounds, on March 26, 1791, by the
district of Cérilly. The old vault was transformed into particular
dwelling which, in a small tiny room, preserved the old statue of the
Virgin. This vault was made up of the sanctuary (8mx6, out of work)
cover by groined vaults whose veins fall down on consoles of the
beginning of XIVe S. the facings of this part of the building are out
of sandstone and offer an average very regular apparatus; nave, which
measures 13 meters length, and which was rebuilt later and completely
upset by the new provisions of the dwelling. A bell-tower surmounted
the pinion of the chorus. Under the tiling one found stone coffins in
the shape of trough, with their lids with sides. ” (Abbot Joseph
CLEMENT, archaeological and bibliographical Inventory of the communes
of the department To combine it. Canton of Bourbon Archambault
“The Virgin is represented sat on a seat without file and provided with trefoil blind arcades on the sides; she with the covered head of a cape and wears a dress to broad hanging sheers; on its knees sat the blessing Child; a niche with relics is dug in the back of the statue; clothing is decorated paintings of XIIIe century forming of the bands filled with a set of rhombuses to pink flowerets ochre broadsides on a sown darkened bottom of black small crosses. ” (Mr. GENERMONT and P. PRADEL, Churches of France.)
“This curious figure of the Virgin, who appears to go up in XIIIe century, is carved out of wood full with oak. The Madonna sat on a right seat, without file, but whose sides are elegantly decorated trefoil and openwork arcades. The Virgin is vêtue of a cape which covers its head and of which sleeves long and hanging many small folds form which give him a Byzantine seal. The cap from where escapes the corrugated hair points out the old hairstyle of this area. In the dorsal part of the statue one dug a compartment - kind of custode of relics - which was formerly closed by a sealed door of three strap hinges from which two disappeared. The Virgin rests on a cushion and holds on her knees the Jesus Child blessing the world with the Latin manner. All the statue, carved in same wood, is painted, the dress and the cover in red, the Child Jesus in green, the chair in white with red and green ornaments. ” (Abbot Joseph CLEMENT, archaeological and bibliographical Inventory of the communes of the department To combine it.)
Considered to be protective in love one, it gave place to a pélerinage in September during which the girls seeking a husband offered a ribbon of color to him realising what their wish was éxaucé in the year. It was necessary to put a ribbon around the neck of the statue and to carry a piece of those which are there already. The girls then said:
“Virgin Boun of nouyés,
Relationship with nout' Javot
Bayez me including one houmme
That with the siess makes as will veudra
Twisted, uneven but provided that in siess one. “
The museum Augustin Bernard of Archambault Bourbon-the is opened with the visit. To ask the House Country, with the seat of the office of tourism, 2 p.m. 30 and 4 p.m. 30, where the departure is done for the Home of Roy for a visit of one hour and quarter approximately. It remains me to thank Madam the preserving one for her kindness and its passion for the city and its museum.
The museum Augustin Bernard, founded in 1937 by this scholar Bourbonnais member of the Institute, comprises several parts distributed on the two levels of the old hydropathic establishment, now classified Historic building. With the mezzanine, the famous Virgin of Vernouillet. The curiosity of Bourbon, Saint-Grelichon, but also of the vestiges coming from the Ste Chapelle of the castle.