Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Priory of Saint-Cyr, located in Friardel (now La Vespière-Friardel) in Calvados, was a 13th century monastery attached to the order of the regular canons of St Augustine. This religious site, marked by its medieval architecture, housed a church classified as a historical monument in 1933, as well as works of art such as a 14th century fresco and the laying of its founder, Guillaume de Friardel.

The history of the priory is deeply marked by two major events: its classification as historical monuments on 27 April 1933, recognizing its heritage value, and its total destruction in 1944 during the Battle of Normandy. Today, only remains remain, integrated into the Church of St.Martin in Friardel, where items classified as movable objects are preserved.

The founder of the priory, Guillaume de Friardel, is represented by a 13th century layer, testifying to the local importance of this place of worship and monastic life. Historical sources, such as the works of Arcisse de Caumont in the 19th century, document its role in the Norman religious landscape. Despite its physical disappearance, the priory remains a symbol of the medieval heritage and the upheavals of the 20th century in Normandy.

Administratively, the site was located in the Calvados department, in the Normandy region, with a specific address mentioned in the heritage bases (5099 L'Abbaye, La Vespière-Friardel). Its present state, reduced to remains, reflects both its past glory and the ravages of the Second World War.

External links