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The Abbaye du Voeu
In 1145, the Empress Matilda (1102-1167), daughter of Henry I of England and granddaughter of William the Conqueror, asked for an abbey dedicated to the Virgin to be built near the Galet ditch. Wife of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou (1111-1151), Matilda had been designated heir of the throne of England by her father.
The abbey was consecrated in 1181, fourteen years after Matilda's death. Her son, Henry II (1133-1189), henceforth King of England and Duke of Normandy, continued the work undertaken by his mother. At the time of the abbey's consecration, the Anglo-Norman state was at the height of its power.
A congregation of the Order of Saint Victor settled there.
The domain prospered until the end of the 12th century. At that time, the abbey, that stood outside the fortifications built by Philippe le Bel, was attacked at several points during the Hundred Years War. The monks frequently had to seek refuge within the town.
In 1450, Cherbourg became French again for good. The canons moved back into the abbey, restored thanks to its considerable income. It was at the height of its power. The abbot wielded justice over his lands that covered seventy-seven parishes, including some in the Channel Islands.
In 1532, the "commendam" system (the replacement of the religious head by a secular figure) was installed for a Prince of Matignon. This was the start of a period of decadence. Income diminished. The abbey was not maintained and gradually fell into ruin.
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In 1758, the deathblow was dealt: the last English raid decided the authorities to turn Cherbourg into a naval port, thus requiring the annexation of the abbey's lands.
Regular life there was curtailed in 1774. The governor of Normandy and Chief Commander of Cherbourg, the Duke of Harcourt, then moved into the mansion bearing his name and whose handsome classical facade can still be admired today.
From 1793 to 1866, the buildings were transformed into a hospital, then a barracks. Until the dawn of the 20th century, the Navy used the abbey as a store.
In the 19th century, in memory of the abbey, a new church took the name of Notre-Dame du Voeu.
During the 1944 Normandy Landings, the abbey suffered heavy damage.
Listed as a historic monument since 1913, the site is currently under restoration. A number of archaeological finds were made there in 1994, in particular an exceptional gravestone.
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Wurde 1145 durch Prinzessin Mathilde, Tochter des Königs Henry I von England, gegründet.
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Freier Besuch der Gärten das ganze Jahr. Offnungen alle Wochen enden in Juli-August. |
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