The Church of Notre Dame de Croas Batz was built between 1515-49 and is one of the Parish Enclosures of Brittany, with its encircling wall, ossuaries, sacristy, and of course the church itself. (But no Triumphal Arch here.)
The Church was built with profit from trade in the 15C-17C when linen and canvas were exported all over Europe from Brittany. Goods travelled by sea and this is remembered in the ships carved on to the building – quite unusual for a church, but very appropriate in this case. The Bell Tower also carries canons, pointing outwards.
There are two Ossuaries – both quite elegant – and one has now been converted into a Chapel.
The church itself is light and airy inside, but not overly decorated – even the ceilings are only lightly painted. Nevertheless it is an impressive building for its time, and location.
The Baptistry originally consisted only of the granite basin and the outlet for water. Then in 1700 the elaborate and impressive canopy was added.
The beautiful alabaster carving of the Passion of Christ, created in Nottingham in the 15C, proving the close connections between the two countries occasioned by trade.
Do visit this impressive building if you are in Roscoff!
Further information
Interesting old photographs of the Church
Jay Nicholson
Can you explain why every entrance to the church yard in Roscoff has a raised stone barrier over which you must step to gain entrance? I wondered if it was a flood barrier or whether it had some ritual significance. Is it part of the enclosure culture of which you speak?
Candy Blackham
My understanding is that this is prevent cattle from straying into the churchyard, which is of course a graveyard. Thank you for visiting