Priory of Sainte-Valérie de Malval
Prieuré de Malval / Mala Vallis / Malavau
(Linard-Malval, Creuse)
The priory of Malval was founded by Albert de Chambon and his wife, lords of the castle of Malval. It was placed under the patronage of the martyr Saint Valerie, whose relics were venerated at the Benedictine abbey of Chambon. The house at Malval came under the authority of that abbey. It remained a very modest establishment and, in its later years, retained only the title of priory, held by a monk from the provostry of Chambon.
The church, built in the 12th century, was left unfinished and was later partially dismantled. Today, only one nave remains, which may have been the transept of the planned building. This nave contains two lateral apses, while a third, which likely accompanied them, has been lost.
Church floor plan
Published in Malval (Creuse), ses monuments et ses seigneurs
Inverted capital
- BEAUNIER, Dom (1912). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France. Vol. 5. Bourges. Abbaye de Ligugé
- CALLIER, G. (1878). Malval (Creuse), ses monuments et ses seigneurs. Bulletin monumental. Société française d'archéologie
- CESSAC, P. de (1879). Le prieuré de Malval, Creuse. Chateauroux: Nuret
- JOULLIETTON, Joseph (1814). Histoire de la Marche et du Pays de Combraille, vol. 1. Guéret : Betoulle
- MARTIN, Gabriel (1890). Malval. Mémoires de la société des sciences naturelles et archéologiques de la Creuse, vol. VI. Guéret
Malval (in the commune of Linard-Malval) is located to the north of Guéret