On day 7 of the Normandy Advent Calendar I’d like to share the abbey at Longues-sur-Mer with you. It was founded in 1168 and the first monks came from Hambye Abbey. Many of the the buildings date from the 13th and 14th centuries. At this time there would have been the following structures:- a gatehouse, […]
Tag archives: abbey
William The Conqueror And His Abbey Church
You can learn about William the Conqueror and his abbey church by heading to Caen in Normandy. The abbey church of Saint-Étienne is part of the Abbaye aux Hommes (the Men’s Abbey). The abbey is a former Benedictine monastery and is dedicated to Saint Stephen. It was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror and […]
Lessay Abbey in Normandy
Lessay Abbey is an 11th century Benedictine monastery in Normandy. It was built in the Romanesque style and features an early example of the rib vault. The abbey church was founded in 1056. It suffered enormous damage in 1356 during the Hundred Years War. The damage was repaired and it survived until 1944. It wasn’t […]
An Abbey Church in Caen
The abbey church of Saint-Étienne is part of the Abbaye aux Hommes (the Men’s Abbey). The abbey is a former Benedictine monastery in Caen in Normandy and dedicated to Saint Stephen. It was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror and has one of the largest Romanesque churches in France. Building the Abbey Church Having […]
Longues sur Mer Abbey in Normandy
Introduction In the quiet village of Longues sur Mer is a beautiful Benedictine abbey dating from the 12th century. The Abbaye de Longues or Abbaye Saint-Marie is nestled on the road leading to Bayeux. Although it’s not far from the Omaha and Gold D-Day landing beaches it wasn’t bombed during the Battle of Normandy. It […]
Normandy's Mont St Michel
Day 3 of my Normandy Advent Calendar sharing my favourite things about Normandy. Mont St Michel is right at the top of my list of all that I love about Normandy. Yes, it can get busy during the summer holidays but it's to be expected as it's a UNESCO world heritage site. However, many people […]
The cloister at Mont St Michel
The cloister’s function was to provide access to all the essential rooms: the refectory, kitchens, church, dormitory, chapter hall and the archives. Only the north gallery, looking out towards the sea, was not meant to serve as a way of communication with other rooms. The principal functions of monastic life, except for work and reception, […]
Gothic architecture in Normandy
The abbey church in Hambye, Normandy, is a fine example of Gothic architecture. The Benedictine abbey was founded in 1145 with the abbey church being built over a period of 150 years. The abbey prospered until 1810 when it was put up for sale and parts of the church were dismantled for its stone. The […]
Resting place of William the Conqueror in Normandy
The Abbaye Aux Hommes in Caen, Normandy is the original resting place of William the Conqueror. The abbey was founded by William in 1063 and he was buried here in 1083. Post by Chris of Gavray Gites. Credit for the photo to mynormandie.fr More photos of the exterior and interior of the abbey can be […]