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All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

  2. Patrimoine
  3. Normandie
  4. Orne
  5. 61140 Juvigny Val d'Andaine

  6. Cross of the old cemetery

Cross of the old cemetery dans l'Orne

Orne

Cross of the old cemetery

    1 Route des Broudières
    61140 Juvigny Val d'Andaine
Photo de Cross of the old cemetery
Crédit photo : Ikmo-ned - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
1628
Construction of the cross
7 novembre 1938
Registration for historical monuments
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Cross of the old cemetery: inscription by order of 7 November 1938

Key figures

Pierre Chardon - Presumed donor or sponsor Name engraved on the cross

Origin and history

The cross of the old Beauland cemetery is a monumental cross located in the territory of the commune of Juvigny Val d'Andaine, Normandy. Dated precisely from 1628, it is erected in granite and has a hexagonal shape. Its base has an inscription engraved: "1628 PIERRE : CHARDON : LA TOVCHE : A DOVNE : LA PVT", suggesting a link with a donor or sponsor named Pierre Chardon. The cask, composed of three distinct elements, preserves traces of bosses carved to hold an iron circle, used in the past to decorate the cross during religious festivals.

The cross is located west of the church of Saint-Étienne of Beaulandes, a delegated commune of Juvigny Val d'Andaine, on the site of the old cemetery. It was included in the inventory of historic monuments on November 7, 1938, recognizing its heritage value. Owned by the commune, it illustrates the funerary and religious practices of the seventeenth century in Lower Normandy, where the cemetery crosses played a central role in memorial rituals and the structuring of sacred spaces.

Architecturally, this cross is distinguished by its material (granit) and hexagonal form, typical of the local achievements of the period. The technical details, such as the bosses for the iron circle, reveal artisanal know-how related to stone carving and liturgical ornamentation. Its inscription, though partial, offers a valuable clue to its history, combining the monument with a local actor, Pierre Chardon, whose exact role (donor, artisan or notable) remains to be specified.

The cross is referenced in the heritage databases, especially Mérimée, under the code Insee 61211 for the municipality of Beauland (Orne). Its approximate address, 1 Rue des Broudières, and its GPS location place the monument in the heart of the historic village. Although its geographical accuracy is assessed as "a priori satisfactory" (note 6/10), it remains a tangible landmark of Norman religious heritage, accessible to the public in the communal setting.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum