The abbey of Saint-Ouen, is the most ancient, in Rouen and in the whole
province of Normandy.
[Illustration: Saint-Ouen]
Founded in 533, during the reign of Clothaire Ist and the episcopate of
Flavius, the sixteenth archbishop of Rouen, (comprehending
Saint-Nienise), this abbey flourished particularly under the illustrious
prelate, whose name it bears and who enriched it with his patrimony.
The 14th of may, in the year 841, the Normans landed at Rouen; the
following day they burned the abbey of Saint-Ouen.
Rollo, having become a Christian, and a peaceable possessor of Normandy,
ordered the abbey to be repaired, and had the relics restored which the
monks had carried off to secure them from the profanation of the
Normans.
The monastery soon took the name of Saint-Ouen; instead of that of
Saint-Peter, by which it was previously known.
The dukes Richard I and Richard II followed the example of Rollo, and
continued the restoration of the abbey.
Such was the reputation of this monastery, that the emperor Otho, who
had laid siege to the town during the reign of Richard Ist, surnamed
_Sans-Peur_, demanded a safe conduct to come and perform his devotions
at Saint-Ouen.
Nicolas, son of Richard IIIrd, and the fourth abbot under William the
conqueror, caused the edifice, which had subsisted until then, to be
demolished, and laid the first stone of a new church in 1046. Nicolas
died too soon to complete the work; it was not finished until the year
1226, by William Ballot, the sixth abbot, who caused it to be dedicated
in the same year, on the 17th of october, by Geoffroy, archbishop of
Rouen.
The cloister and other buildings necessary for the use of the monks were
finished under Rainfroid, the seventh abbot; but, in 1236, only ten
years after the completion of this church, the work of eighty years was
destroyed by fire in one day.
Through the liberality of the empress Matilda and Henry IInd, her son,
the monks of Saint-Ouen succeeded in rebuilding their monastery; but it
was again completely destroyed by fire in 1248.
At last, the celebrated Jean (_John_) or _Roussel Marc d'argent_, the
twenty-fourth abbot, was elected in 1303. Fifteen years later, he laid
the first stone of the present magnificent church, which is so generally
admired. In one and twenty years, during which the works of this edifice
proceeded, the choir, the chapels, the pillars which support the tower,
and the greater part of the transept were finished. These buildings cost
63,036 livres five sous tournois, or about 2,600,000 francs of the
present money.
The edifice was not entirely completed until the beginning of the XVIth
century; but, the tower existed before the end of the XVth. An english
tourist[15] has expressed the following sentiments on this magnificent
church:
"You gaze, and are first-struck with its matchless window: call it rose,
or marygold, as you please. I think, for delicacy and richness of
ornament, this window is perfectly unrivalled. There is a play of line
in the mullions, which, considering their size and strength, may be
pronounced quite a master-piece of art. You approach, regretting the
neglected state of the lateral towers, and enter, through the large and
completely-opened centre doors, the nave of the abbey. It was towards
sun-set when we made our first entrance. The evening was beautiful; and
the variegated tints of sunbeam, admitted through the stained glass of
the window, just noticed, were perfectly enchanting. The window itself,
as you look upwards, or rather as you fix your eye upon the centre of
it, from the remote end of the abbey, or the Lady's chapel, was a
perfect blaze of dazzling light: and nave, choir, and side aisles,
seemed magically illumined. We declared instinctively that the abbey of
Saint-Ouen could hardly have a rival; certainly no superior."
"The grand western entrance presents you with the most perfect view of
the choir, a magical circle, or rather oval, flanked by lofty and
clustered pillars, and free from the surrounding obstruction of screens,
etc. Nothing more airy and more captivating of the kind can be imagined.
The finish and delicacy of these pillars are quite surprising. Above,
below, around, every thing is in the purest style of the XIVth and
XVth centuries. On the whole, it is the absence of all obtrusive and
unappropriate ornament which gives to the interior of this building that
light, unencumbered, and faery-like effect which so peculiarly belongs
to it, and which creates a sensation that I never remember to have felt
within any other similar edifice."
The length, within the walls, is four hundred and sixteen feet eight
inches (about four hundred and fifty feet english measure), which may be
divided in the following manner: The nave, two hundred and forty four
feet; the choir, one hundred and two feet; the remaining portion, to the
extremity of the chapel of the Virgin, seventy feet eight inches; in the
whole, eight feet eight inches more than the Cathedral. The height under
the keystone is one hundred feet. The breadth, including the aisles, is
seventy eight feet; viz: thirty four feet for the nave, and twenty two
feet for each aisle. The transept is one hundred and thirty feet in
length, by thirty four in width.
The church is lighted by one hundred and twenty five windows placed in
three rows not including the three rosaces. The second row lights a
circular inner gallery, which is above the aisles, and several of them
offer paintings of great beauty. Amongst others Saint-Romain is
represented making himself master of the _Gargouille_, and forcing the
Seine to return to its bed.
Against the first pillar to the right, on entering by the Western porch,
is placed a large marble vessel containing holy water. By a very curious
optical effect, we can see the roof of the church in its entire length.
The choir was formerly separated by a magnificent screen, of which we
find an engraving in the _History of the Abbey_, by Pommeraye. This
screen, was erected in 1462 by the munificence of the cardinal
d'Estouteville; in 1562, it was partly destroyed by the calvinists, and
repaired in 1655, by William Cotterel, grand prior of Saint-Ouen. This
fine structure entirely disappeared at the revolution.
Eleven chapels, including the one dedicated to the Virgin, surround the
choir of the church. The first, in going towards the eastern extremity,
contains the baptismal font, and is dedicated to Saint-Martial. There
also, was formerly a very curious clock, which has disappeared within
the last forty years. A small figure of Saint-Michael came out and
struck the hours on a figure representing satan and then disappeared.
In the second chapel, following the same direction, Alexander de
Berneval, one of the architects of the church, was buried in 1440. He is
represented, on the sepulchral stone which covers his remains, by the
side of his pupil; the following inscription is engraved on this stone
in gothic letters:
Ci gist maistre Alexandre de Berneval, maistre des Oeuvres de
Machonnerie du Roy, notre Sire, du baillage de Rouen et de cette
Eglise, qui trespassa l'an de grace mil CCCCXL le vo jour de
janvier. Priez Dieu pour l'ame de lui.
We also remark the statue of Sainte-Cecile, which is placed between two
pillars of the corinthian order. The other chapels, except that of the
Virgin, do not offer any thing remarkable.
English tourists will find in the latter, the tomb of the youngest son
of Talbot; the following is the epitaph:
Ci gist noble homme Jean Tallebot, fils du sieur de Tallebot,
Mareschal de France, qui deceda en aunees de puerilite, le IV
Banvier MCCCCXXXVIII.
The interior of the church contains several fine paintings, such as:
_The miracle of the loaves_, by Daniel Halle, and _a Visitation_, by
Deshayes, of Rouen, in the chapel of the Virgin; _an opening of the holy
gate_, by Leger, of Rouen, behind the pulpit on the wall of the aisle.
This painting has been much spoiled by the damp. The different chapels
also contain some less worthy of notice.
The great tower is altogether a monument of great beauty. Its height is
about one hundred feet above the roof of the church. It is surmounted by
a crown wrought in openwork and of a fine effect. The total height of
the tower is two hundred and forty four feet, from the pavement of the
church. It is supported, in the interior of the edifice, by four
pillars, each formed of a group of twenty four columns.
The whole body of the church is supported, to the exterior, by thirty
four arches, forming with the buttresses by which they are supported, a
most magnificent ensemble.
The western porch from its unfinished state does not offer any thing
remarkable except the rosace of which we have already spoken.
The southern porch, commonly called _des Marmquzels_, merits much more
the attention of the curious, by the astonishing variety of sculptures,
which ornament it. We may especially admire two pendants of a very bold
execution.
Above the door, is a bas-relief, which is divided into three parts,
representing the different circumstances of the sepulture of the Virgin,
of her assumption and entrance into heaven. This porch is assuredly one
of the most pure, light and perfect samples of gothic architecture.
During the revolution, the church, of Saint-Ouen was converted into a
smithy. Afterwards they here celebrated the decadary feasts, promulgated
laws, pronounced marriages, and even gave a great breakfast to the
conscripts of the _year VII_, the first who went under that
denomination. At last it was restored to its primitive use, the only one
worthy of it, for we may say of Saint-Ouen: _Hic vere est domus Dei_.
The ancient abbey-house of Saint-Ouen was demolished, in 1816. So many
historical recollections were attached to the existence of this edifice,
that its loss is much regretted by the friends of the arts. This mansion
was the ordinary place of abode of the kings of France, on their passage
through this town. Henry II, Charles IX, Henri III, Henry IV, Lewis XIII
successively inhabited it. Henry IVth, resided there four months; it
was from this house that he addressed to the aldermen of his good town
of Rouen those words which will never be forgotten: _Mes amis, soyez-moi
bans sujets, et je vous serai bon roi, el le meilleur roi que vous ayez
jamais eu_.
In the public garden, formerly that of the monastery, and which lies to
the north, east and south sides of the church, is a very curious
construction, in the form of a tower, called the _Chambre aux Clercs_.
It is without doubt a fragment of one of the churches, which succeeded
each other on this spot. It is situated at the north-east angle of the
northern transept. Its architecture is of the XIth century. People have
remarked, that it holds as much resemblance to the remains of a strong
castle, as to a fragment of a religious edifice. The interior is divided
into two stories, the second contains the works of the clock.
The meridian placed against the wall, to the north of the basin, is that
which ornamented the ancient exchange. On the lower extremity of the
obelisk, we remark a woman seated, representing Commerce. The figure of
Time points to the solar line. In 1815, the medallion of Lewis XVth was
replaced, which had been taken away in 1792. This monument is by Paul
Slodtz, a statuary of the last century.
[Footnote 15: Dibdin's _Bibliographical, antiquarian and picturesque
tour in France and Germany_; London, Payne and co. 1821, royal 8vo, vol.
1.]