Commandery of Swallower

Geographical description

The Commanderie of Swallower is located in the Département of the Paddle at approximately 25 km at the south of Troyes on the commune of the Bar-on-Seine.

History

The date of the foundation of Swallower is badly known. Indeed, according to the oldest cartulaires, it is refers to the commandery of Swallower at the date of 1172 but it is possible that it was founded between 1167 and 1172.
From 1172, one finds traces of donations which become increasingly numerous. Indeed, in 1174, it is made gift with the Ordre of the Temple of the use of the mill of Double sack. In 1204, local lords offer to them grounds with Essoyes then in 1205 and 1207, these are goods that they to them are given.

Except these some historical data, there do not exist other information on the foundation of the commandery of Swallower.

Possessions

With its beginnings, the commandery became préceptorie and its capacity thus extended on several grounds neighborhood. One can thus quote:

Balnot
Arrelles
the wood of Gall

Organization

Only one document gone back to 1695 watch the original plan of the commandery.
According to this plan, the commandery made up of a vast course was surrounded by a principal building in form of " L" , of a door strengthened in north, of a tower in the south and a gross round tower placed just opposite the Vault (only still whole building nowadays).

The vault

Like the majority of the vaults templières, that of Swallower is of form rectangular measuring 25 meters out of 6 meters and imposes a purified style and robuste.

The interior is of a purified style but relatively worked with three spans of crossed Ogive with a inspiration cistercian. All the intersecting ribs are worked and decorated decorations floraux.
One can still see traces of frescos on certain walls in the chapelle.
If the interior is of style Gothic, outside, as for him, is rather Romance with a gate with columns and chapiteaux.
The particular point of this vault is the square strengthened turret which can let think that it was integrated into the defense system of the commanderie.
One can also note on the northern frontage of the vault, the blazon of Jacques de Souvré, Commandeur of the Ordre of Malta in 1616.

Internal bonds

List of the commanderies templières out of Champagne-Ardenne

References

ALANIECE Valerie and Francois, WAISTCOAT templiers and their commanderies, the example of Champagne Swallower, editor Dominique GUENIOT, Langres, 1995,214 pages ISBN 2-87825-117-2
FRISOT Julien, the great sites templiers in France , Ouest-France Editions, 2005 ISBN 2-7373-3547-7

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