From Rome to the Middle Ages
Excavations carried out have enabled researchers to date the site in the 4th century, corresponding to the Late Roman era. It comprises a small complex of dwelling and production units, associated with the remains of a furnace, whose combustion and firing area has been preserved. A stela re-used in one of the walls and linked to overlapping tombs that were common in this era was also found.
During the 5th century, and under the influence of Christianisation, a small basilica-type church was built. It had a rectangular floor plan and was superimposed on the previous Late Roman complex re-using the same materials.
Between the 8th and the 9th centuries, as a result of a fire or the need to extend the church, a second one was built in cruciform shape with a transept, presbytery and apse, re-using the façade and side walls of the previous building as foundations. From this era, and associated with the beginnings of the new church, 27 one or two-layer trapezoidal slab-built barrel-shaped tombs were recovered, attributable to the 8th–10th centuries.
During the 16th century, the church became a parish church. A side chapel was added to its northern side and a sacristy following on from the transept to the north of the apse.
During the 18th century, in 1730, to be precise and according to written documentation that was preserved, the medieval church was dismantled and taken to its current location, some 500 metres from the earlier construction.
Between natural trails
This enclave is situated between two natural formations of vital importance for the development of land and river communication networks in Ancient times: the Meridian Depression and the River Ulla.
The Meridian Depression facilitated the creation of communication networks in Roman times, such as the Via (Roman Way) XIX, which followed this depression from Tui to Iria Flavia. Since the Middle Ages, the Way of St. James has passed through it, but our contemporary roads have also taken advantage of this natural formation and been built accordingly.
The River Ulla has been used not only as a means of communication but also as a symbolic space, a river alongside which trade routes and settlements in different eras were established to control such an important spot where imports, influences, ideas and people converged.