Maison dénommée Maladrerie ou Maison des Anglais
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison dénommée Maladrerie ou Maison des Anglais, located in Coulounieix-Chamiers (Dordogne), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Coulounieix-Chamiers, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.1744, 0.7199
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082507
An enigmatic medieval vestige on the outskirts of Périgueux, the Maladrerie de Coulounieix-Chamiers combines 12th-century Romanesque architecture with 14th-century Gothic sobriety, bearing witness to its centuries-old charitable vocation.
History
On the outskirts of the Périgord conurbation, in the gentle hills overlooking the River Isle, the house known as the Maladrerie - sometimes called the Maison des Anglais - stands out as one of the rare architectural testimonies to medieval medicine and charity in the Dordogne. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1907, it belongs to a category of buildings that are all too often forgotten, but are nonetheless essential to an understanding of medieval society at its most human. What makes this monument truly unique is the visible superimposition of two major construction phases: a Romanesque core from the 12th century, with thick walls and narrow openings typical of the Périgord region, to which are added Gothic elements from the 14th century, a period of social and health reconstruction in the wake of the Hundred Years' War and the great epidemics. This architectural layering makes it a stone document, as precious as a cartulary. The name "House of the English" is a reminder of the long Plantagenet presence in Guyenne: the Périgord was a disputed territory between the French and English crowns for over a century, and many buildings still bear the mark of this occupation in their local place names. Whether the building served as a cantonment, a collection point or simply as a bitter in the popular memory, this dual designation adds to its mystery. The visitor experience is intimate and contemplative. There are no grandiose esplanades or flashy decorations: here, visitors come into direct contact with the slightly golden limestone typical of the Dordogne basin, and with the assumed austerity of the medieval builders. The surrounding vegetation, the semi-rural surroundings of Coulounieix-Chamiers and the relative discretion of the site make this stopover a timeless interlude, ideal for fans of local history and medieval architecture. In the wider context of Périgord's heritage, the Maladrerie is part of a dense network of civil and religious monuments that bear witness to the medieval wealth of the Périgord Blanc. Between Périgueux and its Gallo-Roman remains and Romanesque cathedrals, and the Cadurcean fortresses of the Vézère valley, this modest building offers a different and complementary look at the Middle Ages in their most concrete everyday reality.
Architecture
The building is typical of the civil and charitable architecture of medieval Périgord, with its construction in cut limestone from the Aquitaine Basin, a local material par excellence, with golden or blond reflections depending on the light exposure. The thick load-bearing walls bear witness to twelfth-century Romanesque construction techniques, with regular bonding, careful quoins and narrow openings for ventilation, while preserving the warmth of the interior, essential for the comfort of patients. The 14th-century additions can be identified by a few discreet Gothic elements, characteristic of the Southern Gothic style: simplified rib crossings, chamfered mouldings on the frames of the openings, and perhaps a few blind arcatures testifying to the period's taste for rhythmic decoration of the façades. The roof, with a pitch adapted to the rainfall in the Périgord, is probably made of canal tiles or limestone lauzes, traditional materials of the Périgord Blanc region. The general layout follows the model of medieval "maladreries": a main building for patients, complemented by outbuildings for nursing or religious staff, organised around a central circulation area.
Related Figures
Évêques de Périgueux (XIIe siècle) — très probablement impliqués dans la fondation ou l'habilitation canonique de la maladrerieConfrérie charitable périgourdine — gestionnaire probable de l'établissement à sa fondationAdministrateurs plantagenêts en Périgord (XIVe siècle) — dont l'occupation régionale explique le surnom de 'Maison des Anglais'Prosper Mérimée — Inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, dont l'action nationale a conduit à la reconnaissance de ce type de patrimoineCommission des Monuments Historiques — responsable du classement de l'édifice en 1907
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison dénommée Maladrerie ou Maison des Anglais located?
Maison dénommée Maladrerie ou Maison des Anglais is located in Coulounieix-Chamiers, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Maison dénommée Maladrerie ou Maison des Anglais built?
Maison dénommée Maladrerie ou Maison des Anglais dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Maison dénommée Maladrerie ou Maison des Anglais open to visitors?
Maison dénommée Maladrerie ou Maison des Anglais is currently closed to visitors.