![]() | You can help expand this article with text translated from
the corresponding article in French. (April 2021) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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abbaye d'Almenêches | |
![]() Church of Almenêches Abbey | |
Monastery information | |
---|---|
Order | Benedictine |
Established | 6th century |
Reestablished | c. 1063 |
People | |
Founder(s) | Roger of Montgomery |
Architecture | |
Heritage designation | Monument historique |
Designated date | 1948 |
Site | |
Coordinates | 48°41′50.5″N 0°6′39.5″E / 48.697361°N 0.110972°E |
Almenêches Abbey ( French: Abbaye d'Almenêches) was a Benedictine nunnery [1] at Almenêches in Orne, Normandy, France. It was founded in the 6th century, but had been abandoned by the 10th century. [2] Roger of Montgomery refounded it sometime between 1063 and 1066. [3]
During the Anglo-Norman civil war (1202–04), upon hearing the abbey was being used by Duke Robert Curthose as a stable, [3] Robert of Bellême burned it down. [4] The abbess, Bellême's sister Emma, fled with her sister nuns; they were temporarily accommodated in surrounding houses or at the Abbey of Saint-Evroul. [3] The following year Emma had the abbey at Almenêches rebuilt. [3] It subsequently suffered another fire under Abbess Matilda, Emma's successor, [3] and a third one after 1308. [2]
In 1260, Archbishop Eudes Rigaud noted the refectory was not in use; the nuns ate in groups of twos and threes in private rooms. [5] He ordered them to cease this activity and eat in the refectory. [5] Eudes also noted that the nuns ran up debts in the town and that some of the nuns even had children. [6] The nuns also failed to live a communal life, did not attend Matins or Compline, and allowed seculars to visit the nunnery. [6] Eudes admits to finding the nunnery in disarray, explaining he did not have the time to fix every problem he encountered. [7] Instead, Eudes ordered their bishop to instruct their abbess on the proper life for the nuns. [7]
In 1736, the community was transferred to Argentan Abbey. [2] During the French Revolution the Abbey church was then used to manufacture saltpeter. [8] Restoration of the church was carried out between 1864 and 1887 by architect Ruprich-Robert. [9]
In 1948 the church was listed as a Monument historique. [10]
![]() | You can help expand this article with text translated from
the corresponding article in French. (April 2021) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
abbaye d'Almenêches | |
![]() Church of Almenêches Abbey | |
Monastery information | |
---|---|
Order | Benedictine |
Established | 6th century |
Reestablished | c. 1063 |
People | |
Founder(s) | Roger of Montgomery |
Architecture | |
Heritage designation | Monument historique |
Designated date | 1948 |
Site | |
Coordinates | 48°41′50.5″N 0°6′39.5″E / 48.697361°N 0.110972°E |
Almenêches Abbey ( French: Abbaye d'Almenêches) was a Benedictine nunnery [1] at Almenêches in Orne, Normandy, France. It was founded in the 6th century, but had been abandoned by the 10th century. [2] Roger of Montgomery refounded it sometime between 1063 and 1066. [3]
During the Anglo-Norman civil war (1202–04), upon hearing the abbey was being used by Duke Robert Curthose as a stable, [3] Robert of Bellême burned it down. [4] The abbess, Bellême's sister Emma, fled with her sister nuns; they were temporarily accommodated in surrounding houses or at the Abbey of Saint-Evroul. [3] The following year Emma had the abbey at Almenêches rebuilt. [3] It subsequently suffered another fire under Abbess Matilda, Emma's successor, [3] and a third one after 1308. [2]
In 1260, Archbishop Eudes Rigaud noted the refectory was not in use; the nuns ate in groups of twos and threes in private rooms. [5] He ordered them to cease this activity and eat in the refectory. [5] Eudes also noted that the nuns ran up debts in the town and that some of the nuns even had children. [6] The nuns also failed to live a communal life, did not attend Matins or Compline, and allowed seculars to visit the nunnery. [6] Eudes admits to finding the nunnery in disarray, explaining he did not have the time to fix every problem he encountered. [7] Instead, Eudes ordered their bishop to instruct their abbess on the proper life for the nuns. [7]
In 1736, the community was transferred to Argentan Abbey. [2] During the French Revolution the Abbey church was then used to manufacture saltpeter. [8] Restoration of the church was carried out between 1864 and 1887 by architect Ruprich-Robert. [9]
In 1948 the church was listed as a Monument historique. [10]