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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Ouen de Longpaon, located in the eponymous district of Darnétal (agglomeration of Rouen), originates in the 10th century as a chapel dedicated to Saint Ouen. According to legend, his name would come from the miracle of the shawl in 918: when the relics of the bishop Saint Ouen were transferred to Rouen, the shawl, impossible to lift by the monks, would have been moved by Rollon, Duke of Normandy. In thanks, Rollon offered the monks the land between Longpaon and the abbey of Saint-Ouen de Rouen. The chapel, called Longpaon ("long praises"), became a parish church at the end of the 15th century, replaced by a larger Gothic building to accommodate a growing population, thanks to the economic boom of Darnétal (draps, dyes).

In 1562 the church was burned during the Wars of Religion, requiring further restoration. In the 19th century, two major campaigns took place: in 1850, the architect Louis-François Desmarest extended the choir, renominated the nave and added two sacristies; Between 1894 and 1895, Lucien Lefort restored the porches and the bell tower, assisted by the sculptor Edmond Bonet. The three-vessel hall church-style building houses a 17th-century organ (rebuilt in 1913), late 16th-century stained glass windows, and a 1580 tombstone. Classified as a historical monument in 1992, it also retains a rebus carved on the bell tower, evoking its name ("lom" + peacock).

The church is linked to historical figures such as Father Jacques Hamel, baptized in 1930 and martyred in 2016, whose baptismal fonts pay tribute to him. In March 2024, his two bells of 1936 (Lucienne-René-Marie-Germaine and Georgette-Jeanne-Madeleine-Marie), which had been silent for 20 years, were restored thanks to an electro-tinting system (€30 000 financed by the town hall, the Fondation du Patrimoine et des Donations). They now sound for the Angelus and the offices, marking a heritage renewal. Five modern stained glass windows (1960s), designed by Georges Mirianon, adorn the interior, blending religious and contemporary themes (e.g. Vatican Council II).

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