Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Saint Martin de Cany Church, located in the municipality of Cany-Barville (Seine-Maritime), is a Catholic building whose history dates back to at least the twelfth century. The site of Cany, occupied from Roman times, housed a first church replaced between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. This medieval building was destroyed during the Wars of Religion, after predation in 1415. The present church, dated the sixteenth century, has undergone many changes over the centuries, reflecting the historical upheavals of the region.

In the 18th century, a chapel was added to the building, followed by the construction of two sacristies in the 1870s. In 1879 three bells were installed, two of which broke down respectively in 1918 (at the Armistice) and 1944. The church, built in sandstone, is distinguished by its choir lined with five chapels and contains remarkable elements: 16th century wooden bas-reliefs (representing St.Martin and Notre-Dame), a 17th century statue of St. Adrien, 19th century stained glass windows, and a glory decorated with 80 angels (1726) overlooking the altar. Ranked a historic monument in 1930, it bears witness to the architectural and religious evolution of Normandy.

The building also preserves traces of the conflicts that marked its history, such as the destruction caused by the wars of Religion or the damage suffered by its bells during the two world wars. Its inscription in the title of historical monuments underlines its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for the works of art that it houses. Today, the Church of Saint Martin remains a place of worship and a testimony of the religious and artistic past of Cany-Barville.

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