Lanmeur is a work-a-day place about 12km north east of Morlaix. It has several shops around the main square and a Super U on the outskirts. The main reason for visiting is the church dedicated to St Melar with an 11thC crypt.
Prince Melar was heir to the kingdom of Cornouaille in the 6thC. His wicked uncle had killed his father as he wanted to become king. Although Melar was only seven he was regarded as a threat. His uncle tried to poison him, but Melar made the sign of the cross over his food before eating which revealed the poison. His uncle ordered his men to cut off Melar’s left leg and right arm to prevent him riding his horse and using a sword. He hoped this would incapacitate him so preventing him becoming king. The child was given a silver hand and a bronze leg which he could uses as easily as real limbs. They miraculously grew as he did. In desperation the uncle ordered the child to be beheaded. The oxen pulling the body of St Melar to be buried with his ancestors refused to move further than Lanmeur and the cart collapsed. His body was buried on the site of the present church.
EGLISE ST-MELAR has a 11thC crypt but the rest of the church was rebuilt in the early 20thC in the Romanesque style. It is a very stylish building. It is a large, light, airy building with round stone pillars supporting round arches. The stations of the cross are on walls. Above are round topped windows between more round pillars and arches. There is a simple vaulted ceiling of plaster with stone ribs. The rounded apse has three long and narrow stained glass windows. Beneath is a carved stone altar with scenes of the last supper. On the low retable behind is a carving of Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac but being stopped by an angel.
There are identical altars in the north and south aisles painted to resemble marble. Each have carved stone altar rails. Above are carvings of Mary and the baby Jesus and another showing Jesus blessing Mary of Magdalene (complete with rolling pin at her feet).
The carved pulpit has scenes from the life of St Melar and there is also a statue of him holding his severed hand. There are other statues around the church and some sensibly have their names underneath. have
Entry to the CRYPT is down steps at the side of the north altar. There is an meter box asking for 20c donation for the lights. (The money falls straight through into a pot below…)
The crypt is all that is left of the 11thC church. It used to have slit windows for light but these are now blocked. There are two rows of round pillars which support low rounded arches. Two have carvings at the bottom. These look like snakes although the information board in the crypt says they are Adder’s Tongue Ferns. There is a statue of St Melar at the east end in a round arch. There is a small sacred fountain by the door, which was dry when we visited.
The photos of Lanmeur begin here: http://wasleys.org.uk/france/brittany_11/ab_wk3/36/image-html/12IMGP8538.html
