L'église de Hainneville

This small church is in the parish of Our Lady of the Assumption in Equeurdreville.  Built on the hill looking over the sea, it stands in the middle of the cemetery like many rural churches in the Cotentin.  There was another religious building on the site in the 11^th century under the patronage of the Abbey of St-Sauveur-le-Vicomte.  It was in 1650 that Louis Gigault Bellfonds, lord of Hainneville became the patron and founded the Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity. 
Turrets that blend with the building flank the tower and has a portal with an arched opening supported by pilasters topped with a classical triangular pediment.

Le manoir de Hainneville

There is a deed that proves the existence of a house on this site belonging to Jean de la Roche Tesson until 1345.  It then became the property of the abbots of Mont-St-Michel in 1394 in exchange for land near Caen.  Later it was given to Louis Gigault Bellfonds who built a new mansion on the foundations of the old ruined building.

The building was altered by Louis Gigault Bellfonds’ son (great grandson of Louis XVIII) during the early 19^th century.  From 1880 the manor passed into the hands of different owners.  During World War II, German and U.S. troops occupied the building.  After that it fell into disrepair and in 1995 it was acquired by the city.  In 2002, the city council voted unanimously to save the manor and the redevelopment of the park that surrounds it.

The park of three acres has been landscaped by the city.  Walking paths, a paved courtyard, terraces and walls of an amphitheater were rehabilitated. The planting of exotic and aromatic flowers and shrubs makes it an enjoyable place to walk or have a picnic.

Saturday and Sunday were European Heritage Days.  In France, these days are called Journées du patrimoine.  One of the places I explored was the Château de Gonneville.   Parts of the château were built between the 13^th – 16^th and 18^th centuries.  Two of the oldest structures are the stone towers—the dungeon, which can be seen from the road and the other (dated 1313) in the garden behind the home.


The family of Pirou built most of the château over the ruins of a much older dwelling.  The square tower, the moat and drawbridge are all that remains of the first building which gives the château its medieval appearance.

  A grassy forecourt surrounded by large work buildings with beautiful oval windows precedes the entrance.  One of them bears the coat of arms of Jallot de Beaumont and the date 1641.

 

The château is famous for several times hosting the dukes of Normandy and English King John Lackland in 1203. 

In 1842, two main buildings which connected the tower to the château as well as the Chapel of St. John were demolished under the orders of Dame Lambert who thought there was buried treasure to be found.  The façade was mutilated, the mullioned windows and carved transoms, skylights and chimneys were also destroyed.  Unsuccessful in her search for buried treasure, Dame Lambert sold the property in 1849. 

It has now been restored to much of its original beauty under the direction of current owner, Monsieur de Montfort who provided us with a brief tour and regaled us with stories of German occupation of the property during World War II.

 Around the château is a park with fenced-in woodlands and gardens. One part of the terraced garden contains a building called le fruitier and an impressive 400-year-old cork oak.