Notre-Dame-sur-L'Eau church in Domfront and its water
And also
The tops
The church |
TCY / CC-BY-SA
A nice poetic name ("Our-Lady-upon-Water")! What's its history? Guillaume Talvas I, count of Alençon and Bellême in the 11th century, first raised a keep in Domfront, then built a priory.
In 1020, Benedictine monks came on the working site.
Then Normandy became an English possession: Henri II and Eleanor of Aquitaine christened their daughter here in October 1162 with great pomp: armoured knights, lords of the Court were here...
Thomas Beckett, archbishop of Canterbury, even celebrated the Christmas Mass in Domfront church in 1166...
Unfortunately, in the 19th century, 5 of the 7 nave's bays and aisles were destroyed to build the road.