The Sainte-Marie-Madeleine Priory in Mantes-la-Jolie

On line since September 22, 2009 · Updated September 22, 2009
In the heart of medieval Mantes-la-Jolie, an Inrap team is currently excavating the former Sainte-Marie-Madeleine priory founded in the first half of the 12th century. This work follows a field evaluation undertaken in October 2007 in advance of the construction of a supermarket with a four storey underground car park. The excavation covers an area of 2000 m2.

The priory

Samson Mauvoisin, the archbishop of Reims and pontifical legate, son of Raoul Mauvoisin Lord of Rosny, governor of Mantes, founded the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine priory in 1133, following the wishes of his brother Guillaume. This priory was a dependence of the Abbey of Coulombs (Eure-et-Loire), most of whose archives were destroyed in a fire.
An 18th century plan of the town shows the priory situated on La Madeleine (now Gambetta street), not far from the Saint-Georges and Saint-Martin priories.
In 1650, the property was occupied by the Benedictines, before being sold as a national property during the Revolution.

The buildings

This excavation has found the southern wall and the transept crossing of the church, as well as a circulation level preserved inside the edifice.
Remains of buildings are visible in the southern part of the site, including an 18 metre long wall, preserved to a height of 5 metres and pierced by an arched opening leading to a vaulted staircase, exposed over around twenty steps. These steps descend more than 7 metres into the ground, but the collapse of the vault hides their destination. On the other hand, one room was emptied to a height of more than 3 metres, exposing a wall with an engaged column, a basement window, the beginning of a vault and the remains of a staircase.
The diverse remains uncovered include shafts and latrines. The presence of hydraulic mortar basins show that the Benedictines used part of the site as a garden.

The cemetery

Plaster sarcophagi and coffins have been found inside and outside of the church. The entire cemetery contains seventy individuals. Incense pottery placed on the covers of the sarcophagi allow us to date the burials to the 13th and 14th centuries. The reuse of sarcophagi for successive individuals has been noted. The shell pendant found on one of the skeletons shows that the individual concerned made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

The finds

Though pottery (funerary pots, jugs, etc.) dating to the 13th and 14th centuries was found, most of the artefacts date to the 16th century, including tableware, glazed pitchers, cooking pots, drinking glass, bronze spoon, etc. A few coins, bronze pins, shoe buckles, a thimble, a fragment of an anthropomorphic appliqué, a plaque decorated in bas relief and the base of a statue complete this inventory.

Developer

Altarea

Curation

Service régional de l'Archéologie,
Drac Île-de-France

Site director

Jean-Claude Durand, Inrap

See images

  • The archaeological site in its context.
    The archaeological site in its context.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • South wall of the 12th century church of the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine priory.
    South wall of the 12th century church of the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine priory.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • 13th-14th century funerary pots.
    13th-14th century funerary pots.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • Medieval coins.
    Medieval coins.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • Decorated limestone plaque. (fleur-de-lys, deer, oak and lion)
    Decorated limestone plaque.
    (fleur-de-lys, deer, oak and lion)
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • Remains of Medieval buildings.
    Remains of Medieval buildings.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • Arched opening and underground stairway.
    Arched opening and underground stairway.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • Engaged column in the south-east part of the site.
    Engaged column in the south-east part of the site.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • Sainte-Marie Madeleine cemetery: alignment of burials along the south transept.
    Sainte-Marie Madeleine cemetery: alignment of burials along the south transept.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • Sainte-Marie Madeleine cemetery: alignment of burials along the south transept.
    Sainte-Marie Madeleine cemetery: alignment of burials along the south transept.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • Plaster sarcophagus with funerary urns.
    Plaster sarcophagus with funerary urns.
    © Denis Gliksman, Inrap
  • A few sarcophagi of the cemetery with urns.
    A few sarcophagi of the cemetery with urns.
    © Isabelle Abadie, Inrap