The origins of the Canons’ House of Saint-Astier can be traced back to a tradition stating that, very close to this location, the hermit Astier (c. 560–c. 640) settled. He was a disciple of Saint Cybard of Angoulême († c. 581). During his stay, Astier is said to have miraculously healed a princess who, in gratitude, ordered the construction of a chapel where he was later buried. It is also believed that the site was home to an early monastery, which was destroyed by the Normans in 849.
Bell tower (15th-16th centuries)
In 1013, Raoul de Scoraille, Bishop of Périgueux, founded a monastery near the hermitage and placed it under the care of a community of canons. He himself consecrated it, accompanied by other bishops, and dedicated it to the hermit Saint Astier, whose relics were transferred to the new church. The foundation was granted various rights and privileges, to which others were later added, including those bestowed by Popes Alexander III and Innocent IV.
Both the canonry and the town suffered the effects of the Hundred Years’ War, which led to the reconstruction of the church in 1462. The new, larger church replaced the previous one, which had been severely damaged. Later, the Wars of Religion and, in particular, the Fronde also caused destruction: in 1652, the Canons’ House was sacked, and the church suffered serious damage. Despite this, it remained in existence until the French Revolution, never having been secularized, which suggests that it did not house a regular community bound by a specific rule.
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Saint-Astier is located near Périgueux, southwest of this city