Abbey of Saint-Georges

Saint-Georges de Boscherville Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey. It was founded in about 1113 by Guillaume de Tancarville on the site of an earlier establishment of secular canons and settled by monks from the Abbey of Saint-Evroul. The abbey church made of Caumont stone was erected from 1113 to 1140. The Norman builders aimed to have very well-lit naves and they did this by means of tall, large windows, initially made possible by a wooden ceiling, which prevented uplift, although this was replaced by a Gothic vault in the 13th century. The chapter room was built after the abbey church and dates from the last quarter of the 12th century.

The arrival of the Maurist monks in 1659, after the disasters of the Wars of Religion, helped to get the abbey back on a firmer spiritual, architectural and economic footing. They erected a large monastic building one wing of which fitted tightly around the chapter house (which was otherwise left as it was). The symmetrical wing was used solely for the library - the monks were extremely learned. All that remains is the central part of this restored building. Once again we can see the splendour of its complex vaults which play on the colour of the stones. This building, erected in the classical style from 1690 to 1694, gave onto gardens upon which work began in 1680.

References:

• Abbaye Saint Georges

Address

Route de l'Abbaye 12, Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville, France

Details

Founded: 1113
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)