La Corroirie: Discover the history of the Carthusian monks of Le Liget

In 1178, on the edge of the Loches forest, on land donated by Villeloin Abbey, Henry II Plantagenet founded the Chartreuse du Liget in atonement for the murder of Thomas Becket. This new monastery soon received a steady stream of donations, including the feudal fiefdom of Craçay.

This fief was to become the brothers’ monastery, called Corroirie in Carthusian (conredium, conredia: that which serves for the upkeep of the monks in Carthusian Latin) and gave the monks new powers (those reserved for the lords).

At the time, the Carthusian order had a tradition of separating the fathers, who devoted their lives to contemplation in the isolation of their cells (they lived at the Carthusian monastery), from the brothers, who divided their lives between prayer and work in the service of the community (they lived at the Corroirie).

The brothers’ lives were divided between prayer in the church and work outside or in the cellar.

WHERE THE CARTHUSIAN BROTHERS LIVE

La Corroirie is first and foremost the home of the Carthusian brothers. Like the fathers, they were placed under the authority of the prior, who ran both the Charterhouse and the Corroirie. In practice, it is the father procurator appointed by the prior who manages the Corroirie. In a way, he was the prior’s right-hand man, responsible for managing the estate and its inhabitants. He had contacts with other priories and abbeys.

The lay brothers took the same vows as the Carthusian monks, but could not become fathers, as their lack of ambition allowed them to live in serenity. Apart from “secular” work, they lead a hermit’s life, living mainly in their cells and praying. As they were all free adults (francs) and literate, they managed the farming estate. At La Corroirie, unlike other orders such as the Benedictines, there were no “moinillons” – children entrusted to the monastery by families that were too large or too poor.

In addition to the brothers, there were other inhabitants:

The dons or oblates (from the Latin oblatum) are those people living, temporarily or permanently at the Corroirie for the purpose of atoning for their sins or following a vow. They follow the same “customs” as the Convers brothers: the offices and the rules of life.

The farm workers are the “employees” of the Corroirie. They are paid for their work and do not participate in the religious life of the monastery.

With the right to justice over its lands, La Corroirie also had a bailiff, a sergeant, a lawyer and a tax prosecutor.

From the 15th century onwards, King Charles VII granted a captain and his garrison to protect the place. Pilgrims and travellers stayed for a few hours or a few days at the hostellerie de la Corroirie, before continuing their journey to a holy place, in particular Santiago de Compostela and Tours (Via Saint Martin).

You will find a numbered map of La Corroirie at the bottom of the page to help you find your way around.

The church (2)

The church is where the brothers meet every day to pray. This historic monument was built in the early 13th century. It was consecrated by the Archbishop of Paris, Eudes de Sully, in 1206, in the presence of the King of England, John Lackland (son of Henry II Plantagenet).

The vaults of this church are a perfect example of the Plantagenet style, which is as much Romanesque as it is Gothic. The bays are covered with highly curved eight-pointed ogives, characteristic of the Plantagenet style. This means that the voussoirs (arches), slightly overstepped, support the vault. Its layout is simple, as required by the Carthusian order: a single nave with two bays ending in a seven-sided chevet. In the time of the lay brothers, the bays were probably protected by stained glass windows and the floor was 1.5 m lower.

In the church, a Renaissance pool nestled in the wall allows the celebrant to wash his hands after communion during the celebration of mass. The representation of Christ in the choir dates from 1935. The fresco was painted by Robert Lens, a deacon and friend of the Comte de Marsay, who was invited along with his pupils from Saint Pierre des Corps. His work can be seen in a museum dedicated to him in Aurillac.

The cellar (5)

This room was built after the church, with 13th-century Gothic vaults. The building is lit from the north by round-headed windows. Its rectangular plan, which was all in one piece at the time it was built, is made up of two five-bay vessels and a row of four squat columns in the centre.

In the first room, which consists of one bay, you will notice a wine press, a reminder that the Carthusian monks had planted several hectares of vines on the hillside not far from the Corroirie. They took great care with this crop, surrounding it with walls to protect it from the cold winds. Like everyone else at the time, the brothers drank wine with water.

In the second room, there is a large central pillar that was built to support the two storeys of granaries, which were too heavy for the original slender, elegant pillars. In fact, in the 15th century, a second storey was built to store the grain, as the better-tilled soil produced a higher yield. The building was weakened by the excess weight of the grain. The floor was raised by 1.40 metres of fill, again to strengthen the building.

The monks used the cellar to prepare parchment skins first, then paper made from recycled hemp cloth; these materials were destined for the Copyist Fathers. Hemp was used to make rope for farming and fabric for clothing. In the 18th century, the site was used to make barrels.

This is how the Corroirie came to be seen in its second function as a temporal house.

THE CENTRE OF TEMPORALITY

The word Corroirie comes from the Latin Conredium or Conredia and refers to everything used for the upkeep of the monks (food, clothing, etc.). It is therefore the economic centre of the Carthusian monastery.

The Carthusian monastery’s agricultural estate covers 1,500 hectares in a single block (900 hectares of land, 550 hectares of forest, 50 hectares of ponds, 15 hectares of vineyards and 13 hectares of meadows), including around twenty tenant farms. In addition, the monastery purchased land in Bergeresse (Azay-sur-Indre), Hubaudière (Chédigny) and Biardeau. In 1274, the Carthusian monks of Liget bought the Bergeresse lands. In the 14th century, they built a dwelling and chapel on these lands. In the 16th century, they added a barn, which can still be seen today.

The land was used for grazing cattle and sheep, as well as for growing cereals. Cereals and vegetables from the kitchen garden served as their daily food. The lay brothers fish by emptying their ponds to sell the fish. They also maintained oak forests, which are still models in the Loches forest today.

However, one of the most important activities of this period was the exploitation of hemp, which they cultivated in numerous chenevières. Henry II Plantagenet encouraged the expansion of hemp in the region. He had a great need for sails for his navy, hence the interest in growing this plant, which was useful from stalk to grain. The Convers brothers also used it to make their robes. Twisted, the fibres were used as ropes, essential for manual work. Recycled fabric was used to make paper for the copyist monks at La Chartreuse, and the stalk was also used for this purpose. Grain was used to feed animals, as well as people in times of famine.

Today, we are rediscovering that a handful of these grains provides the daily ration of proteins and lipids required by humans. What’s more, its Omega 3 and 6 content makes it the best oil for combating bad cholesterol. In medieval pharmacopoeia, it was served as a decoction for its calming properties.

Mills (6)

There are two successive mills at the end of the cellar. The existence of a mill at La Corroirie may predate the arrival of the monks; it was in operation until the middle of the 19th century. The mills here were used exclusively by the monastery and were powered by the Aubigny stream and the pond upstream.

In the first mill, you can still see on the right-hand wall the stone spout from which the water came, driven by a wheel 4 m in diameter. Above, in a floor that no longer exists, the wheel drove a grindstone to grind the grain.

In a second section to the left, another room housed a second wheel. By adjusting the water supply, the monks could activate one of the two wheels as required. You can still see fragments of the millstones on the ground. The water from the mill was evacuated through an underground gallery and returned to the river.

At the end of the mill, the basin is now partly filled in.

Note the small openings in the ceiling through which wooden pipes allowed the grain to flow directly from the granary to the millstone; the quantity of grain to be ground was poured into a wooden vat in the granary, terminating in these pipes.

The granary: La Corroirie, the centre of agricultural activity

As you leave the mills and walk across the lawn in front of the church, you will notice two levels of granaries built above the church in the 15th century. A drawbridge allowed farmers to enter the granary directly. The peasants who farmed the land owed several taxes: the tithe or terrage.

At a time when each region had its own measures, there was a bushel of Corroirie. A market was held at La Corroirie where farm produce was traded. There was also a great deal of trade between the Corroiries, each with its own speciality. One well-known example is the herbal liqueur made by the Corroirie de la Grande Chartreuse.

The Corroirie du Liget specialised in making barrels from the oak trees in their forest. The Carthusian monks, who did not eat meat, also regularly ordered sea fish, which was brought up the Loire and Cher rivers to Montrichard…

At the gateway to the desert: the hostelry (3)

This building seems to have been the local hostelry, where the lay brothers welcomed sick Carthusian monks, travellers and pilgrims. This remote stopover in Le Liget, at the gateway to the fathers’ desert, preserved their tranquillity. La Corroirie also welcomed people to atone for their sins or following a vow: these were the “donated”. This building was also the place where the bailiff dispensed justice, as the Corroirie had a final function: it was the seat of the monastery’s feudal power.

Note: if you look at the roof on the north gable, you can see the stone cross symbolising the Carthusian monks.

THE FÉODAL FIEF

La Corroirie is also the seigneury and feudal fief of the Carthusian monks. By receiving the fief of Craçay at the beginning of the 13th century, the Carthusian monks also obtained the feudal rights attached to it. In addition, the monks benefited from the support of the sovereigns and popes, who confirmed and granted them numerous rights and privileges.

La Corroirie was also a place of justice, where criminals could be sentenced to death. At the time, the Bailiff of La Corroirie had as much power as the Bailiff of Loches, i.e. the royal court. The latter brought numerous lawsuits against La Corroirie in order to extend its influence over the region, but thanks to the king’s support, the monks won all their cases. The Carthusian monks thus acquired considerable feudal power through La Corroirie. They enjoyed these numerous privileges until the French Revolution.

The turret: prison and hemp oven (7)

The prison is isolated from the other buildings, to the north between the walls and the cellar. It has two functions: prison and hemp kiln. This prison is a symbol of the right to justice. The only opening is on the first floor; the prisoner occupies the lower part of the turret. The latrines are still visible. Was it a ventilation system used to raise the heat to dry the hemp?

In October, the turret lost this function and was used as a hemp oven. After being soaked for several days in the stream for the “retting” process, the hemp was dried here before being taken to the mill to be crushed, then woven or twisted in the cellar.

The patibular forks, or gallows, are located near the small bridge (between the car park and the moat) and serve as a reminder of the right of justice exercised by the monks. The monks preferred to take the wooden effigy of the condemned man and have him work on their land as compensation for the damage he had suffered. The only significant and shocking event in this jurisdiction was the condemnation by immolation of two witches in the 15th century. Today, the pitchforks have completely disappeared.

Moats and fortifications

La Corroirie had a defensive function and was surrounded by ramparts, moats and hedges. Today, the ramparts are still visible on the north and east sides, while those on the south side have been destroyed.

Loopholes open all along the buildings. The first, in the shape of stirrups for the arches, are typical of the 13th century. The second, in the shape of an exclamation mark, dates from the 15th century and is used for muskets: the hole is used to place the weapon and the line to aim. These are known as cannonier archers. There were also cannonieres for firing cannonballs (late 15th and 16th centuries).

La Corroirie was first invaded and sacked by the English. In 1361, during the 100 Years’ War, an underground passageway was built to make La Corroirie a place to fall back to in the event of an attack on La Chartreuse.

In 1432, Charles VII donated a garrison, then Louis XI allowed them to consolidate the fortifications. It was in this stronghold that the monks supported a siege against the Protestants. The Protestants, aided by local peasants hoping to free themselves from their taxes and burn the monastery’s titles in order to become owners, took advantage of the monks’ lack of defence (they were praying in the church) to invade and plunder the monastery. The Prior, in his wisdom, decided not to retaliate, refusing to send their sinful enemies to hell, and said “We are poor praying monks”. The monks were molested and the estate was badly damaged.

Account of an attack (Les Inhumanitez du Capitaine Lignou – 1589):

So on the night of 3 to 4 March 1589, these people, “two companies, fifty or sixty battleships, had been prowling for some time in the region where they had occupied several castles including the Château du Bouchet and that of Montrésor. They decided to take over La Corroirie , a profitable business. Staying at Montrésor, they decided to attack at night, on horseback. Just before they arrived, a scout left. At La Corroirie all was quiet. The horses were left in the neighbouring farms: la Fouettière, la Grangette and le Boulay. The inhabitants, awakened by the soldiers, were terrified. In fear of being killed, they did as the Huguenots demanded: they lent their ladders and beams on the spot.

The attackers set off along the levee of the pond, but the sound of footsteps betrayed their presence. A harquebus shot was fired at them from La Corroirie. Feeling discovered, the Barbetz prisoners beat a hasty retreat: fugit enim impius nemine persequente. Harangued by the officers, reassured by the silence that unexpectedly followed the shot, they returned to the charge. At this point, a devoted peasant threw the ladders left by the attackers as they fled into the water to alert the watchers by the noise.

At the sound of the water, the porter brother, intrigued, opened his window. Three arquebus bullets crashed into the wall beside him. Frightened, he ran to raise the alarm. The prior and the monks were in the chapel: Dicito, frater, pauperes monachos intus esse, qui matutinas persolvunt presces: “Brother, say that there are poor monks inside reciting matins”, replied the gentle Dom Fiacre Billard. Then he intoned the veni Sancte Spiritus.

Outside, the attack began. The drawbridge was mined. The henchmen lay down, but the gunpowder burned without effect. A second, more successful mine blew up the drawbridge and the gate. The attackers rush in. A second gate stopped them. It was smashed with an axe. The monks put up no resistance, as there was no garrison, and the Prior forbade them to retaliate, as he had scruples about defending themselves against enemies “who would have been sent to hell by being killed in a state of sin, as they were looters of monasteries”. They were masters of the place. They go to the chapel. The monks were at their mercy.

The sack begins with the day, but the booty is not as important as it was supposed to be. In the minds of the Huguenots, the monks must still be hiding riches. How could they know? It was at this point that du Lignou personally entered the scene. “He soon afterwards took some of the monks from the said convent and had them tell him what they were hiding. convent, to make them say what they do not know, or rather to play with them, had them put and plunge into the water of the nearest ponds up to their throats, then up to their lips, after having put the point of their homicidal blades on them; they opened their mouths and loosened their teeth to let the water enter and flow and thus gradually drown them: estimant leur faire enseigner ce qu’ils ne savoient pas eux-mesme ; cuidant lors de la circonstance qui apparaissait en ces saints personnages provint de quelque obstination ou peur de perdre ce qu’ils n’avaient pas, et qu’ils vouloient faire deviner (Les Inhumanitez du Capitaine Lignou – 1589).

The curious inhabitants of the parish came to the show. Woe betide the vanquished! Dormant grudges, jealousies and hopes brought them together with the Huguenots. They followed the research, even guided it. Here are the deeds to the properties, the royalties, the leases. In the courtyard, a pyre was piled up and parchments were twisted around it, spreading a disgusting smell of burning flesh, while the peasants frolicked.

The Preneurs de Barbez have left. The Carthusian monks, suffering more in their hearts from the hostility of the peasants than from the atrocities of the bands, fled through the forest. Salerm, the commander in Loches, took them in and put them up. They would not return until all was peaceful. Their peace of mind would not be disturbed again until the French Revolution (2 centuries later).

La Corroirie had a defensive function and was surrounded by ramparts, moats and hedges. Today, the ramparts are still visible on the north and east sides, while those on the south side have been destroyed.

Loopholes open all along the buildings. The first, in the shape of stirrups for the arches, are typical of the 13th century. The second, in the shape of an exclamation mark, dates from the 15th century and was used for muskets: the hole was used to place the weapon and the line to aim. These are known as cannonier archers. There were also cannonieres for firing cannonballs (late 15th and 16th centuries).

La Corroirie was first invaded and sacked by the English. In 1361, during the 100 Years’ War, an underground passageway was built to make La Corroirie a place to fall back to in the event of an attack on La Chartreuse.

In 1432, Charles VII donated a garrison, then Louis XI allowed them to consolidate the fortifications. It was in this stronghold that the monks supported a siege against the Protestants. The Protestants, aided by local peasants hoping to free themselves from their taxes and burn the monastery’s titles in order to become owners, took advantage of the monks’ lack of defence (they were praying in the church) to invade and plunder the monastery. The Prior, in his wisdom, decided not to retaliate, refusing to send their sinful enemies to hell, and said “We are poor praying monks”. The monks were molested and the estate was badly damaged.

The fortified gate (1)

The square tower, the main entrance to the monastery, with its late 15th-century counterweight drawbridge, also serves a defensive function. There are two doors: a large round-headed door for horsemen and carts, and a small door for pedestrians.

Both gates are topped with machicolations and loopholes.

The upper part of this square tower houses the guards’ room, from which entrances were controlled. In the passageway leading to the courtyard, the grooves of the defensive portcullis are still visible. This was another form of protection after the moat and drawbridge.

THE CORROIRIE AFTER THE REVOLUTION

The Carthusian monks’ relations with the authorities and thinkers of the time enabled them to escape the horrors of the Revolution and leave the Chartreuse in the care of two monks, who ensured its permanent closure. La Corroirie was sold as national property and became a simple agricultural estate.

However, this function enabled the buildings to be preserved: the chapel was converted into a shed. The property was sold in 1899 to René de Marsay, son of Arthur de Marsay, owner of the Chartreuse du Liget. His nephew Henry de Marsay took over ownership in 1919 and bequeathed it to his daughter, Countess Guy de Mareüil, in 1982. She undertook extensive renovation work, notably on the vaults of the church, the entire courtyard, the surrounding walls, the prison and the mills. Then it was her grandson, Jeff, who took up the torch and created guest rooms to welcome modern pilgrims: tourists.

Today, the Association pour la Sauvegarde et le Rayonnement de la Corroirie (Association under the law of 1901) is actively involved in promoting the site, in particular by organising guided or self-guided tours, concerts, theatre and theme days (music, writings and a conference on Gregorian art), and by publishing a brochure (available to download at the end of the page).

Anyone who would like to help with any of the work and projects that the association undertakes is very welcome.

After obtaining “Organic Farming” certification, recoating the facades, redesigning the courtyard and draining the foot of the walls, the ASRC’s aim is to raise funds to repair the moat, the interior of the prison and the first mill and its feeder basin.

If you would like to download the brochure for printing, here is the link:

corroirie 2025 brochure