Account of a Tour in Normandy, Volume 2

Dawson Turner

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• Publié par: nefing
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 13
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Account of a Tour in Normandy, Vol. II. (of 2), by Dawson Turner This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Account of a Tour in Normandy, Vol. II. (of 2) Author: Dawson Turner Release Date: June 6, 2004 [EBook #12538] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOUR IN NORMANDY, VOL. II. *** Produced by Carlo Traverso, David Cavanagh and Distributed Proofreaders Europe, http://dp.rastko.net. This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr. Account Of A Tour In Normandy - Volume II Dawson Turner LETTERS FROM NORMANDY, ADDRESSED TO THE REV. JAMES LAYTON, B.A. OF CATFIELD, NORFOLK. UNDERTAKEN CHIEFLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATING THE ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES OF THE DUCHY, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON ITS HISTORY, ON THE COUNTRY, AND ON ITS INHABITANTS. ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS. CONTENTS. LETTER XIV. Ducler—St. Georges de Bocherville—M. Langlois LETTER XV. Abbey of Jumieges—Its History—Architectural Details—Tombs of Agnes Sorel and of the Enervez LETTER XVI. Gournay—Castle of Neufmarché—Castle and Church of Gisors LETTER XVII. Andelys—Fountain of Saint Clotilda—La Grande Maison—Château Gaillard—Ecouis LETTER XVIII. Evreux—Cathedral—Abbey of St. Taurinus—Ancient History LETTER XIX. Vicinity of Evreux—Château de Navarre—Cocherel—Pont-Audemer— Montfort-sur-Risle—Harfleur—BourgAchard—French Wedding LETTER XX. Moulineaux—Castle of Robert the Devil—Bourg-Theroude—Abbey of Bec—Brionne LETTER XXI. Bernay—Broglie—Orbec—Lisieux—Cathedral—Ecclesiastical History LETTER XXII. Site and Ruins of the Capital of the Lexovii—History of Lisieux—Monasteries of the Diocese—Ordericus Vitalis—M. Dubois—Letter from the Princess Borghese LETTER XXIII. French Police—Ride from Lisieux to Caen—Cider—General Appearance and Trade of Caen—English resident there LETTER XXIV. Historians of Caen—Towers and Fortifications—Château de la Gendarmerie—Castle—Churches of St. Stephen, St. Nicholas, St. Peter, St. John, and St. Michel de Vaucelles LETTER XXV. Royal Abbeys of the Holy Trinity and St. Stephen—Funeral of the Conqueror, Exhumation of his Remains, and Destruction of his Monument LETTER XXVI. Palace of the Conqueror—Heraldic Tiles—Portraits of William and Matilda—Museum—Public Library —University—Academy—Eminent Men—History of Caen LETTER XXVII. Vieux—La Maladerie—Chesnut Timber—Caen Stone—History of Bayeux—Tapestry LETTER XXVIII. Cathedral of Bayeux—Canon of Cambremer—Cope of St. Regnobert—Odo LETTER XXIX. Church and Castle of Creully—Falaise—Castle—Churches—Fair of Guibray LETTER XXX. Rock and Chapel of St. Adrien—Pont-de-l'Arche—Priory of the two Lovers—Abbey of Bonport—Louviers —Gaillon—Vernon APPENDIX I. APPENDIX II. INDEX. LIST OF PLATES. Plate 26 Sculpture upon a capital in the Chapter-House at St. Georges Plate 27 M. Langlois Plate 28 Musicians, from the Chapter-House at St. Georges Plate 29 Distant View of the Abbey of St. Jumieges Plate 30 Ancient trefoil-headed Arches in ditto Plate 31 Distant of the Castle of Gisors Plate 32 Banded Pillar in the Church of ditto Plate 33 Distant View of Château Gaillard Plate 34 Gothic Puteal, at Evreux Plate 35 Leaden Font at Bourg-Achard Plate 36 Ancient Tomb in the Cathedral at Lisieux Plate 37 Head-Dress of Females, as Caen Plate 38 Tower in the Château de Calix, at ditto Plate 39 Tower and Spire of St. Peter's Church, at ditto Plate 40 Sculpture upon a Capital in ditto Plate 41 Tower of St. John's Church, at Caen Plate 42 Monastery of St. Stephen, at ditto Plate 43 Fireplace in the Conqueror's Palace, at Ditto Plate 44 Profile of M. Lamouroux Plate 45 Figure from the Bayeux Tapestry Plate 46 Sculpture at Bayeux Plate 47 Ornaments in the Spandrils of the Arches in Bayeux Cathedral Plate 48 Castle of Falaise Plate 49 Elevation of the West Front of La Délivrande Plate 50 Font at Magneville LETTERS FROM [Page 1] NORMANDY LETTER XIV. DUCLER—ST. GEORGES DE BOCHERVILLE—M. LANGLOIS. (Ducler, July , 1818.) You will look in vain for Ducler in the livre des postes; yet this little town, which is out of the common road of the traveller, becomes an interesting station to the antiquary, it being situated nearly mid-way between two of the most important remains of ancient ecclesiastical architecture in Normandy—the abbeys of St. Georges de Bocherville and of Jumieges.—The accommodation afforded by the inns at Bocherville and Jumieges, is but a poor substitute for the hospitality of the suppressed abbeys; and, as even the antiquary must eat and perhaps sleep, he who visits either St. George or the holy Virgin, will do well to take his fricandeau and his bed, at the place whence I am writing. At a period when the right bank of the Seine from Harfleur to Rouen displayed an almost uninterrupted line or monastic buildings, Ducler also boasted of a convent[1], which must have been of some importance, as early as the middle of the seventh century.—King Childeric IInd, granted the forest of Jumieges to the convent of the same name and that of St. Vandrille; and St. Ouen was directed by the monarch to divide the endowment between the two foundations. His award did not give satisfaction to St. Philibert, the abbot of Jumieges, who maintained that his house had not received a fair allotment. The proposition was stoutly resisted by St. Lambert, abbot of St. Vandrille; and the dispute was at length settled by the saints withdrawing their claims, and ceding the surplus land to the abbey of Ducler. St. Denys was the patron of this abbey; and to him also the present parochial church is dedicated: it is of Norman architecture; the tower is surrounded by a row of fantastic corbels; and a considerable quantity of painted glass yet remains in the windows. The village itself (for it is nothing more than a village, though honored by French geographers with the name of a bourg), consists of a single row of houses, placed immediately under the steep chalk cliff which borders the Seine. The face of the cliff is also indented by excavations, in which the poorer inhabitants dwell, almost like the Troglodytes of old. The situation of Ducler, and that of the two neighboring abbeys, is delightful in summer and in fine weather. In winter it must be cold and cheerless; for, besides being close to a river of so great breadth, it looks upon a flat marshy shore, whence exhalations copiously arise. The view from our chamber window [Page 2] [Page 3] this morning presented volumes of mist rolling on with the stream. The tide was setting in fast downwards; and the water glided along in silent rapidity, involved in clouds. The village of Bocherville, or, as it is more commonly called, of St. Georges, the place borrowing its name from the patron saint of the abbey, lies, at the distance of about two leagues from Rouen. The road is exceedingly pleasing. Every turning presents a fresh view of the river; while, on looking back, the city itself is added to the landscape; and, as we approach, the abbey-church is seen towering upon the eminence which it commands. The church of St. Georges de Bocherville, called in old charters de