Aulnay, Charente-Maritime

Hydrography

The Brédoire river flows through the commune and the town from east to west to join the Boutonne at Nuaillé-sur-Boutonne. Although a small river the Brédoire flooded the town in December 1982. The Palud flows through the north of the commune from the east to join the Brédoire at La Cressoniere. The Saudrenne flows from the east in the south of the commune forming part of the southern border before continuing to join the Boutonne at Saint-Pardoult.^[3]

Aulnay during the Roman Empire

Formerly called Aunedonnacum in the itinerary of Antoninus Pius and Auedonnaco in the Tabula Peutingeriana.^{[citation needed]}

Aulnay in the Middle Ages

As the capital of a fiscal jurisdiction Aulnay was already the seat of a lordship in 925, as evidenced by the donation made by Cadelon I to several abbeys. The Viscounts of Aulnay (or Viscounts of Aunay) were descendants of other noble families in Poitou and Saintonge and lived in a castle which was demolished in 1818 but whose tower still remains.^[4][5]

Aulnay in the contemporary era

A common name for Aulnay is Aulnay-de-Saintonge but under the Ancien Régime Aulnay (often spelled Aunay) did not belong to the province of Saintonge but to the province of Poitou and the Diocese of Poitiers.

By decree dated 12 December 1973 the commune of Salles-lès-Aulnay merged with the commune of Aulnay.

Aulnay is the capital of the canton of Aulnay-de-Saintonge which has the largest extent in the department of Charente-Maritime.

Heraldry

Or, a pale the same between four lozenges of Gules posed in pale.[6]

Civil heritage

The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

• The Minargent Distillery (1910)^[11]
• A Chateau (13th century)^[12]
• A Dairy Factory (1926)^[13]

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:

• A Cemetery Cross (14th century)^[14]
• The Church of Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay (12th century).^[15] One of the finest surviving Romanesque churches. It is also classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is unknown why the church was built so far from the town but it may be related to the site of an old cemetery along the Roman road. At the end of the 11th century the building that preceded it belonged to the Abbey of Saint-Cyprien in Poitiers who, around 1045, received part of the burial rights and wax offerings from the church as evidenced by a donation by Ranulfe Rabiole. Pierre II, Bishop of Poitiers, around 1100 confirmed the ownership of the church by the monastery and Pope Calixtus II followed his example in 1119. In 1135 however, the parish belonged to the Chapter of Poitiers Cathedral which retained its rights until the French Revolution. Papal bulls dated 1149 and 1157 list the Aulnay church in the list of properties of Canons who were calculating their costs. The church is particularly famous for the early-twelfth-century sculpture on its south and west doorways; it is among the most often discussed examples of this form of Romanesque art.^[16] Numerous oriental influences can be seen in its designs. For example, the first arc of one doorway is said to be inspired by Oriental designs.^[17] Designs of elephants also originate from Oriental designs.^[18] The Church contains several items that are registered as historical objects:
  • A Painting: Christ with doctors (17th century)^[19]
  • A Statue: Saint Peter as Pope (15th century)^[20]
  • A Stoup (12th century)^[21]

• 
  UNESCO plaque
• 
  The Cemetery Cross
• 
  The front of the church
• 
  The Church of Saint-Pierre
• 
  The south entrance to the Church
• 
  Portal of Eglise Saint-Pierre, Aulnay-de-Saintonge, mid-12th century.
• 
  Islamic stylistic influence in the Church of Saint-Pierre.
• 
  Capital with elephants on the Church
• 
  A Church window
• 
  The south side of the Church
• 
  Detail of the south side
• 
  The Bell Tower
• 
  The Stoup
• 
  The Nave of the Church
• 
  The cemetery next to the Church

• The Church of Notre-Dame (12th century)^[22] The Church contains one item that is registered as an historical object:
  • A Baptismal font (12th century)^[23]

• 
  The Church of Notre-Dame
• 
  Church of Notre-Dame entrance
• 
  Capitals in the Church of Notre-Dame
• 
  Stained glass in the Church of Notre-Dame

External links

• Aulnay on the Community of communes website
• art-roman.net Photos of Aulnay
• romanes.com Photos of Aulnay
• Aulnay on Géoportail, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website (in French)
• Aunay on the 1750 Cassini Map