Along France's river of romance: . e of great splendour and beauty. Itowes its name to a Cluniac Priory founded in theeighth century, of which little now remains. Theabbey buildings were reconstructed in the eighteenthcentury, in the formal but, to modern eyes, agreeablestyle of that epoch, but were afterwards almost en-tirely destroyed by a fire which also grievously injuredthe church. Still, of the monastic buildings besidesthe church there is yet to be seen a fifteenth-centurygateway, some ogival galleries supported on gracefulcolumns, and two square halls with richly ornamentedroofs that w
Along France's river of romance: . e of great splendour and beauty. Itowes its name to a Cluniac Priory founded in theeighth century, of which little now remains. Theabbey buildings were reconstructed in the eighteenthcentury, in the formal but, to modern eyes, agreeablestyle of that epoch, but were afterwards almost en-tirely destroyed by a fire which also grievously injuredthe church. Still, of the monastic buildings besidesthe church there is yet to be seen a fifteenth-centurygateway, some ogival galleries supported on gracefulcolumns, and two square halls with richly ornamentedroofs that were—at least, till recently—used by awine merchant. The church of Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame, with itsexquisite fragments, that enable one to imagine thebeauties of the twelfth-century abbey church as itused to be, is a sad reminder of La Charites departedglories. Only the apsidal chapels, transept, and the SANCERRE 123 beautiful square tower that rises from it, remain ofthe original church ; the nave dates from 1695, and ^.:2^f^. La Charite is aptly described by one writer as being navrantede banalite. La Charite has greatly sunk in importance, since 124 THE LOIRE before the Wars of Religion it boasted 10,000 in-habitants ; twice its present number. It presents acharming appearance, for, unlike most of the townsby the Loire, which have their centres away from thestream, it turns its face towards the river. Houses lookdown on to a beautiful quay ; and an ancient stonebridge, with powerful sharp-pointed stone piers, carriesthe principal street, the rue des Hotelleries, acrossto the faubourg on the island in the middle of thestream, which has been likened to a ship at faubourg is in turn joined by an iron bridge tothe district of Berry. Ardouin-Dumazet writes thus of the general appear-ance of the town : Les tours de Ieglise, les ruinesdes remparts, Iampitheatre des toits, donnent grandeallure a ce decor citadin. Le tableau devait etre plussaissisant avant les grands
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidalongfrances, bookyear1913
