Abbey of Saint-Wandrille of Fontenelle

The abbey of Saint-Wandrille , in the past abbey of Fontenelle , is a Benedictine abbey of the Congrégation of Solesmes located in the department of the Seine-Maritime, in Normandy (France). The abbey founded in 649, knew a long story with three great periods of destruction: that of the invasion of the Viking S, then that of the Huguenot S, and finally the French revolution. It is today an abbey of monks Benedictines.

History of the abbey

Foundation of the monastery of Fontenelle to the invasions Vikings (649-858)

Places of Fontenelle

Before the foundation of the abbey, there would have been a Gallo-Roman field, and a river called Fontenella, where a mill would have been built. March 4th 638 the field was conceded with the king Dagobert with personal capacity, then confirmed by Clovis II, on February 4th, 639. the field was then given up and the sale contract of the rights had passed to Compiegne on March 1st 649 through saint Gond (nephew of Saint Wandrille), on March 1st 650, Clovis II ratified the sale, and transferred to the monks the rights.

Foundation of the abbey

Saint Wandrille bases in 649 the abbey of Fontenelle, on a good conceded by Erchinoald, Maire of the palate of Neustrie. Of 650 with 668, holy Wandrille and the monks build the buildings and churches Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul, the St. Lawrence, Saint-Amand, Saint-Saturnin and say one of Saint-Pancrace and Notre-Dame de Caillouville, but contained also a library, containing works of saint Gregoire Ier (paid of Rome by Saint Hinge), as well as the rule of Colomban saint. Of 678 with 690, Saint Ansbert is the new abbot of the Abbey and it builds a Hôpital for the twelve poor and sixteen patients. In 787, on order of Charlemagne a Polyptyque, lost today, is established by Landry, abbot of Jumièges and Richard, count of Rouen. It is the third abbey of the province of Rouen after Saint-Ouen and Saint-Evrault.

In a charter of Charles the Bald person dated from the March 21st 854, it is specified that the monks of Fontenelle have goods with the Pecq (Yvelines), with Chaussy-in-Vexin (Val-d'Oise), in Pierrepont, in the commune of Grancourt (Somme), Bution and Marcoussis in the the Essonne.

Invasions Vikings

A first invasion of Norman pirates, led by Oskar, burns Jumièges and its surroundings, but does not touch with the abbey whose monks manage to pay a ransom in 852. In spring 858, the Fontenelle abbey is plundered by the Normands, and the monks give up it, carrying the relics of Saint Wandrille and Saint Ansbert. The monks flee with Chartres, then go to Boulogne and deposit the bodies of the two saints to the Mount-Blandin where they are established a time in 944.

Restoration of the abbey to the destruction by the huguenots (858-1566)

Towards 960, Richard I {{er}}, duke of Normandy, supports the re-establishment of the monks carried out by Gerard de Brogne. Robert Splendid the emits charters of restitution of usurped goods. Of 960 with 966, Maynard Ier directs the abbey before leaving to found the very famous Abbaye of the Mount-Saint-Michel, and becoming the first abbot about it. In 1008 holy Gerard obtains Richard II of Normandy the abbatiat of Fontenelle. The Foudre partly destroys the basilica of Saint-Pierre, whom it rebuilds in a more elegant way. It is with the court of this work that in 1027, nine tomb X are discovered two empty, those of Wandrille saint and Ansbert saint and the remainders of Vulfran saint. Its holy successor Gradulphe sends monks of the abbey in order to populate the abbey of Préaux, towards 1040. In the same way the abbey contributes to the foundation of the Abbaye of Grestain towards 1050. In 1145 the Innocent pope II and in 1164 the pope Eugene III confirm the goods and privileges of the abbey. Under the abbatiat of Pierre Mauviel (1244 - 1255) a Incendie destroys part of the abbey. The Innocent pope IV and the archbishop of Rouen Eudes Rigaud publish indulgences then in order to allow the rebuilding of the abbey.

Pierre Mauviel begins the rebuilding of which the Gothic chorus and the Transept, completed under Geoffroy de Noytot. Guillaume the Casing builds the Nef and the Clocher, three Travée S are built, as well as the Cloître. With its death in 1342, work slows down. It is only with the abbatiat of Jean de Rochois (1362 - 1389) that the Saint-Paul church is finished. The pope Boniface IX then grants the privilege of the miter and the pontifical badges to the abbey of Saint-Wandrille. The abbey is again abandoned during the Guerre One hundred Year old. The monks are established in “Hostel Saint-Wandrille” in Rouen. In 1483, Andre cardinal of Espinay, archbishop of Lyon and Bordeaux, is made allocate the abbey. The abbots are then elected. In 1523, Claude of Poitiers takes possession of the abbey, the abbot then is named and not elected. It is then the period of the wars of religion.

During the wars of religion, the abbey is plundered in May 1562 by the Protesting S and their partisans. Thus ornaments of the sacristy its flarings on the copper tomb of the abbot Jean de Rochois. In 1566, the Relic S of Holy Wandrille and Saint Vulfran are partly destroyed as well as parts of the abbey.

Restoration and the reform of Saint-Maur to the French revolution (1566-1790)

1566-1636 Collapse of the abbey

Following the destruction of the huguenots, the ruins are important. The abbey is regarded then as a property of the family of Neuville. In 1631, the bell-tower built in 1331 crumbles, for lack of repair and involves with him part of the vaults of the abbey. It is thus the abbot Ferdinand de Neufville de Villeroy, bishop of Saint-Malo then of Chartres, which undertook the restoration of the abbey affirming that it avoit nothing to benefit there for him the mines from broken stones, the vaults fallen by the fall from the bell-tower, vaults that it falloit absolutely to repair . It is him which supports the introduction of the Reform of Maur saint.

1636-1789 Reforms Saint-Maur

In 1636, the arrival of Dom Guillaume Gerard and ten eight monk of Jumièges introduce the reform of Saint-Maur, reform of the order Benedictine in France. Dom Phillibert Cotelle, named in 1635 makes renovate the chorus, in 1647 the cloister is in its restored turn, the “pillars and arcs-boutans” of the nave as well as the plan of the Coupole which was to replace the tower with cross transept. Between 1678 and 1684, Doms Hunault and Marc Rivard build the Chapter house and the Dortoir which exists still now. In 1757 two houses are built: the “house of Nature” and the “house of the Grace”, as well as the large named door “carries of Jarente” (1760).

French revolution and destruction of the abbey

At the time of the French revolution the religious orders are removed, at the end of 1790, the monks of Saint-Wandrille must leave the abbey, of which one of the monks, Dom Louis-François Lebrun dies martyr to have refused a station in the constitutional church, it dies on a pontoon with Rochefort. October 1st 1995, it was béatifié by the pope Jean-Paul II, on the Place Saint-Pierre with Rome.

January 17th 1792, at the time of the French revolution, the empty abbey of its inhabitants is described as Bien national, is sold, a hundred and thousand francs paid in assignats, with the citizen Cyprien Lenoir. The abbey church is regarded as Carrière stones, and is demolished.

In 1826, the property abbey of Cyprien Lenoir, receives the visit of the archeologist Eustace-Hyacinthe Langlois. Under the Restauration the interest for the Gothic style reappears involving the visit with the Saint-Wandrille abbey of the Duchesse of Berry and Victor Hugo.

In 1863, the abbey is repurchased by Stackpoole, which tried to restore it.

Restoration end of the XIXe century in XXIe century

The cardinal Leon Thomas (cardinal, archbishop of Rouen) have the project to make revive “Fontenelle the Holy one”, the abbey is repurchased by an civil society, and is rented with the monks of Ligugé, resulting from the Abbaye of Solesmes. February 13rd 1894, the Benedictines return to the Saint-Wandrille abbey.

Raised in 1894 by monks come from the Abbey Saint Martin's day de Ligugé from the Congregation from Solesmes, it is high with the row of abbey in 1898. The first abbot is dom Joseph Pothier.

1901-1931 Exile of the monks, private bracket of the abbey.

In 1901, the French Republic imposes the law on the separation of the Church and the State, and many congregations leave in exile, of which the monks of Saint-Wandrille who leave in exile on September 29th, 1901 in Belgium.

During this period the abbey becomes again a private property, that of the Belgian writer Maurice Maeterlinck. The large refectory was used as place of scene. It is known that Georgette Leblanc played there.

1931 - XXIe century

The monks return from exile on January 26th 1931. Since the abbey is inhabited without stopping by the monks. June 17th 1940 the monastery is plundered by the Germans, but they do not touch with the oratory, the sacristy and the library. In the night from August 9th to 10th 1944, the western wing of the monastery dating from the 17th century is damaged by the allies, destroying the second stage of the wing and the Saint-Jacob staircase, as well as damage with the roofs of the other buildings. July 21st, 1954, takes care of the Saint Wandrille part of the commun runs undergoes a fire, where was located the workshops of the abbey. The Abbé Pierre remained there during the end of its life, of 1983 with 1991, it is buried besides not far from there, with Esteville.

Name and armorial bearings of the monastery

• Name of the Abbey: Fontenelle then Holy Wandrille

The first sources of presence of the abbey speak about the abbey of Fontenelle ( Fontenella in Latin version), name which undoubtedly dates from the Gallo-Roman period, the abbey being founded on the ruins of a villa ruined during the cruel invasions. During the invasion of Norman, the monastery of Fontenelle disappeared and reappeared into 960, under the name of abbey of Saint-Wandrille. The tradition thus joined together two names Fontenelle and Saint Wandrille.

• Armorial bearings

The Blason is " of azure to the fasce heavy shower of money accompanied by three flowers of gold lily, posed two and a " , l'" wave of money " express in term Héraldique S the crack of the cent-quatre years of interruption of the monastic life with Saint-Wandrille (1790-1894). This blazon which resembles that of kings de France is due to the fact that the abbey was on the royal field, and was thus authorized to carry the weapons of France. A currency was added in 1894 " Quasi lilia quoe sunt in transitu aquae " (" As lilies on the edge of water) drawn from the book of the Ecclesiastical (Book 8).

Buildings

The Gothic cloister

It is the only Gothic cloister complete of High-Normandy. This cloister was built on the site of two other cloisters, one built by Saint Wandrille and raised by saint Anségise and the other built by Maynard the Ist current cloister dates on its oldest part, i.e. that which was based on the nave of the church (southern gallery), at the first years of the 14th century. It counts seven Travée S in gothic arch (closed before by stained glasses at the 17th century), the arcades rest on piles which lengthens in posts and reinforces the buttresses advanced on the courtyard. the Voûte rests on intersecting ribs they-even decorated. On each keystone one finds weapons of the abbey, then that of the abbot Jean de Brametot, and a group of six characters. The galleries of the east, west and north are lower and date from the blazing Gothic (1410 - 1530). It is on the gallery is that the door of the Sacristie opens (remade by Mr. de Stackpoole).

Large refectory

It is the oldest part of the abbey, vast nave of thirty-three meters fifty length and nine meters broad. The time of construction goes back to the year 1027, on the wall which skirts the cloister and on that of the east, runs a Romance blind arcade of the end of the 12th century, which disappeared at the 14th century replaced by a wall bored from seven windows. The vessel is covered with a high wood vault in gothic arch of the 16th century. Currently the room is still the refectory of the monks, where the meal starts with the Bénédicité and the Grâces, and during the meal the “reading of table is read”.

Chorus

The chorus counted six right spans and an apse. The arcades, in tierce point, rested on piles mow. The entry of the chorus closed by a Jubé, destroyed in 1631, and rebuilt by another decorated statues in 1672. A Déambulatoire made the turn of the chorus, and opened on fifteen vaults, those corresponding to the spans of the chorus. There were thus the vaults Saint-Sebastien-Roch-and-Adrien, Sainte Genevieve, Saint Vulfran, Saint Eloi, the twelve apostles, Sainte Marie-madeleine, Saint Nicolas, the Blessed Virgins, Saint Martin, Sainte Anne, the the Holy Sepulchre, Notre-Dame and Saint Benoit.

Saint-Saturnin vault

The vault Saint-Saturnin goes up according to some at the time of Wandrille Saint. However one dates the building from the end from 10th or beginning 11th century, because it is built on a clover plan, and remainders of antiquated capitals let think of a rebuilding on foundations of the time Carolingian.

Buildings of the XVIIIe century

These buildings are due to the monks maurists, rebuilt between 1640 and 1685, concentrating the various services in some high and vast buildings. The plan is regular and rectilinear. Equipped with large windows, the noble capped frontages of high roofs bored of attic windows, but deprived of any superfluous ornamentation, reflect at the same time the majesty of the Great century and the austerity of the monks maurists. The building of the west presents a long frontage prolonged by the House of the Grace, posterior eighty years. This building shelters inter alia the library of the monastery.

Medieval barn

In the old barn of the 14th century the bookstore-store of the abbey is installed. The stage is occupied by the workshops and offices of Fontenelle Microcopie, the trade of maintenance products and the editions of Fontenelle. The right part of this building was rebuilt in 1699, it is today occupied by various workshops.

Current activity of the monks

Prayer

The monastic community of the Saint-Wandrille abbey perpetuates a long tradition of Prière in meditation and the work, the Solitude and the Communion. The liturgical prayer holds an essential place in the life of the monks, gathering them seven times per day in the church of the monastery. The Saint-Wandrille abbey accommodates also hosts eager to live a time of silence and spiritual meditation at the sides of the monastic community. There exists an interior hotel trade for the Sirs, and an external hotel trade for the ladies and the families, with a respective capacity of reception of twenty and twenty-five people.

• Time of the offices :

Vigils: 5:25, Laudes: 7:30, Mass: 9:45 (week) 10:00 (Sunday and festivals), Sexte: 12:45, Nun: 14:15 (week) 14:30 (Sunday and festivals), Vespers: 17:30 (week) 17:00 (Sunday and festivals), Complies: 20:35

Community activity of the monks

Shop : The monks sell their own products (polish, maintenance products, honeies, food products, as well as other products of other communities in the shop of the Abbey.

monastic Products : For 65 years the abbey has manufactured maintenance products (cleaning of the grounds and kitchens, disinfection and the washing of the linen).

Edition of Fontenelle : The abbey reprints old books, as well as new editions with small pulling.

Renascentis : The monks are also specialized in the restoration and the conservation of paintings and works of art

Lists of the abbots and priors

List abbots of Fontenelle/Saint-Wandrille

Restoration of 1894:

• Dom Joseph Pothier, first regular abbot of Saint-Wandrille since Jacques Hommet at the 16th century, first abbot of Saint-Wandrille since the removal of the abbey by the French revolution, prior of Saint-Wandrille (1895), abbot miter (1898-1923), OSB
• Dom Jean-Louis Pierdait, prior with Silos, coadjutor with Saint-Wandrille (1920-1923), abbot miter of Saint-Wandrille (1923-1941), OSB
• Dom Gabriel Gonthard, abbot miter of Saint-Wandrille, OSB, 1943-1962
• Dom Ignace Paves, abbot miter of Saint-Wandrille, OSB, 1962-1969
• Dom Antoine Levasseur, abbot of Saint-Wandrille, abbot-highly skilled, OSB, 1969-1996
• Dom Pierre III Massein, abbot of Saint-Wandrille, OSB, 1996 -

List Prieurs of the Abbey

“Be certain that if you keep the union, the charity and humility, and made in kind not have never dissensions between you, your condition will be always good, God will assist you each day, will comfort you and will help you…”

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