Grestain Abbey, Fatouville-Grestain, France

Grestain Abbey (Abbaye Notre-Dame de Grestain) was an 11th century Benedictine monastery. Closely associated with the family of William, Duke of Normandy, the abbey was instrumental in the Normans taking control over the Catholic Church in England in the centuries following the Norman Conquest of England, establishing new churches and priories in England, and Abbots of Grestain ordained many English priests. Many churches mentioned in the Domesday Book cite Grestain as the founding establishment.

The Abbey was founded in 1050 by Herluin de Conteville and his wife Arlette, mother of William the Conqueror. Herluin, a victim of leprosy, was said to have seen a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary who told him to take a spa treatment at the source of the Carbec stream in Grestain (Carbec meaning 'the Stream of Kari'). Cured, he decided to build an abbey in the nearby Valley of Vilaine dedicated to the Virgin and a chapel at Carbec, a site also dedicated to the healing spring of Saint-Méen. Herluin's son, Robert de Mortain, half-brother of William, was the principal benefactor, endowing it with his revenues from England.

In 1358, the abbey was sacked by the Anglo-Navarrais. The monks took refuge at their safe house in Rouen, in the parish of Saint-Eloi. Between 1364-1365 the abbey was attacked once more. On the return of the monks, the abbey had been partly destroyed and nearly rased to the ground.

The abbey was officially closed in 1757 on the orders of the bishop. The church buildings were demolished around 1766 and the rest of abbey destroyed in 1790; of these buildings, only a few ruins remain, integrated into the Château de La Pommeraye (a private property): a defensive wall, a 13th-Century portal, an 18th century manor with a 13th century floor, and remains of the church.A monunment has been erected to the memory of the founders who were buried in the now defunct church: Arlette, Herluin and Robert de Mortain, as well as Robert's wife, Mathilde de Montgomerie, daughter of Roger de Montgomerie.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

titi normande (6 months ago)
Superb very pleasant environment. Excellent idea to have organized the first medieval

John Marshall (7 months ago)
In the footsteps of Guillaume Duke of Normandy, it is impossible to miss where Arlette raised her son alongside a soldier. But come and discover and have an interview with Nicolas, the current owner of this magical site.

Eric BOUVARD (8 months ago)
Quite unique and original site with a very small part of the abbey (ground floor) open to visitors. There is a small park, a chapel and the Saint-Benoît spring. You can drink its water and even come with a bottle, to fill it

waarzijnjullie (8 months ago)
A wonderful, quiet and restful place where you can feel the magic of the past. My son and I were given a personal tour which gave us a nice view of the buildings and history. Recommended for those who love peace, tranquility and culture. Chapeau to the brothers who maintain this domain.

Floris de Nie (8 months ago)
Worth a stop/detour while cycling the seine bike path.

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The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.

The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.

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