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Origin and history

The church Saint-André d'Exmes, located in the Orne department in Normandy, is a religious monument dating back to the 11th century. It was founded shortly after 1012 by Lesceline, Countess of Eu, and then given in 1024 by Richard II to the Abbey of Saint-Wandrille. The current building, built in 1060, has undergone major changes over the centuries, notably after a fire caused by the English during the Hundred Years' War.

The church consists of two distinct parts: a Romanesque nave from the 11th century and a chorus rebuilt in the 15th century. The Wars of Religion interrupted the work, preventing the realization of a cathedral originally envisaged. The nave, restored with a Renaissance-style vault, and the two chapels forming the transepts date from the 16th century. The building was classified as a historic monument in 1913, especially for its choir and architectural elements.

The church of Saint Andrew has a complex history, marked by destruction and reconstruction. The original Romanesque door was replaced by a door of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, while the lower side and the transept were raised in the sixteenth century. A first church, prior to the year 500, would have existed on this site, linked to the emigration of the bishops from Sées to Exmes. The monument also benefited from restorations in the 19th century.

Today, the church is owned by the commune of Exmes, located in the region of Gouffern en Auge. It is open to visit and preserves traces of its medieval past, especially through its carved sandstones, its entrances and its punches. Its architecture reflects the stylistic evolutions and historical tumults of Normandy.

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