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Key figures

Origin and history

Notre-Dame de Béneauville Church, also known as Notre-Dame Chapel, is a Catholic building located in Moult-Chicheboville, Calvados. Originally dedicated to Our Lady, it was later enriched with altars dedicated to Saint Clair, Saint Francis and Jeanne d'Arc. Its history dates back to the late 11th century, when Troarn Abbey acquired land there to establish a religious community. The choir, dating from the 12th century, and the nave, modified in the 13th century, bear witness to this medieval period. A bell tower was added in the 13th century, later replaced by a bell tower in 1698.

The transformations continued over the centuries: Romanesque windows were closed, the altar was modified in 1742 to build a sacristy, and major works were undertaken in 1792. In 1923–24, the bells became obsolete and replaced. The building was listed for historical monuments on October 4, 1932, and was electrified in the 1950s. Restorations carried out in the 1970s revealed an ancient structure, and a major campaign at the beginning of the 21st century concerned roofing, interior walls, the funeral liter and stained glass windows.

The church is distinguished by its unique architectural elements: a cornice of the choir adorned with carved modillons representing heads, animals and daily scenes, as well as a frame in the shape of a boat's hull. The nave, with its cornice in the teeth of a saw, is home to historical capitals, including one dedicated to the martyrdom of Saint Blandine, dating from the late 11th century. The arcade separating the nave from the choir combines Romanesque and Gothic characteristics, while a funeral liter of 1757, bearing the coat of arms of the local lord, adorns the walls. The building, still active in local life, opens to the public at events like the Night of Churches and European Heritage Days.

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