Discover Saint-Caradec-Trégomel
The commune was originally known simply as "Trégomel", then in 1448 it was renamed "Saint-Caradec-en-Trégomel" and finally became "Saint-Caradec-Trégomel".
A troubled history
Thehistory of Saint-Caradec-Trégomel has not been an easy one! The commune went through a turbulent period during the wars of the League in Brittany in the 16th century. The royal armies and those of the Duke of Mercœur, who were fighting over the town of Guémené, caused a great deal of suffering. In addition, the bands of the fiery lord, but no less a brigand, La Fontenelle, plundered and ravaged the country to the point of forcing the inhabitants to flee.
In 1797, famine and plague forced the inhabitants of many villages to leave.
Fortunately, life in Saint-Caradec-Trégomel is much more peaceful today.
The church
Saint-Caradec church was founded by the lords of Kermerien, as were the presbytery and Saint-Cado chapel. Only a 15th century door has survived from this period. The new building was constructed in the second half of the 17th century.
The balustrade that now forms part of the low wall surrounding the church was originally the opening of an ossuary with a sloping roof.
The cross beside the church was there to protect the cemetery. It probably dates from the 15th-century building. The date 1709 on the base refers to the addition of an altar table. At the base of the cross, four pediments are adorned with four figures, including Saint Peter, recognisable by his keys, Saint Caradec and the Virgin Mary.
The fountain and the wash-house
There is also a small fountain with a niche housing a statue. It may be a representation of Saint Caradec, but there is nothing to confirm this. The fountain overflows into a pretty covered wash-house.
The Saint-Cado chapel
Built in the centre of a meadow in the 17th century, the Saint-Cado chapel owes its foundation to the powerful lords of Kermerien, who at the time held the rights to the three fairs held in the village.
The chapel and theparish church have much in common: the triangular pediment openings set into the roof, the flat chevet and the openings on the sides, notably a door between two windows. This building is an example of thearrival of the new style in the countryside in the second half of the 17th century.
Inside, the chapel features an altarpiece with statues of Saint Cado, Saint Guernahel and Notre-Dame de la Clarté. It is said that the child of a woman who treated this statue like a doll went blind!
Caution!
If you come across road signs saying "ST-CARADEC-TEL" when you're out and about in the Pays du Roi Morvan, don't be like some holidaymakers and ask what you can visit in Saint-Caradec-Téléphone! It's Saint-Caradec-Trégomel!
