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Origin and history

The church of Saint-André de Rouen, located in a suburb of the city, has its origins under the name of Saint-André-de-la-Porte-aux-Fèvres, with reference to the blacksmiths of the neighborhood. It became a parish in 1124, and its cure was attached to Saint-Ouen Abbey from 1169. Mentioned as early as 1027, it was completely rebuilt between 1486 and 1556: the nave and its sides date from 1521, the tower (1541-1546) and the rosace gate (1556) completed the building, signed in 1526.

The tower, 35 metres high, was damaged by a hurricane in 1683 and repaired in 1701, but its octagonal arrow, torn during the storm, will never be restored. In 1562, Huguenots caused deterioration in the church, which also underwent modifications in the 18th century, such as the installation of a altarpiece in the abside. After the Revolution, the church was closed in 1791, sold as a national good, and turned into a store and foundry. Only the tower remains after the destruction of the nave in 1861, during the piercing of Jeanne-d'Arc Street.

Ranked a historic monument in 1958, the Saint-André Tower was restored several times, notably in 1867 and 2020, where an anti-stone fall device (pare-gravois) was removed after consolidation. Farin, a local historian, described it in the 18th century as one of the most beautiful bell towers in Rouen, highlighting its openwork architecture. Today, it bears witness to the religious and urban history of the city, between Renaissance and Revolution.

Historical sources, such as the works of Eustache de la Quérière (1862) or Georges Dubosc (1922-1929), document its evolution, from its parish role to its partial disappearance. The archives also mention its exact address: rue Jeanne-d.

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