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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Beer-Morel is an industrial complex built between the 3rd quarter of the 18th century and the 1st quarter of the 19th century. It consists of a weaving of wood (attested as early as 1775), a neo-classical brick spinning (ca. 1820), and a reconstructed employer housing around 1830. The site, operated by the Godet family until 1847, was purchased in 1853 by Beer-Morel, who employed up to 350 workers (150 in the workshop, 200 in the home) in 1855. An 18 horsepower steam machine then feeds production.

In 1922, the factory was converted to printing by Paul Duval, who added a binding workshop in 1926. Despite its inclusion in historical monuments in 1994 (for weaving, spinning, and management housing), the mill building, considered dangerous, was destroyed in 1998-1999 after a partial collapse. Today, weaving is being rehabilitated into housing, while printing has become a commercial space.

Architecturally, the site illustrates the Norman industrial evolution: the weaving preserves the crosses of Saint-André and an apparent structure, while the spinning mixes brick, limestone and wood panels under a dardian roof. The neo-classical style of employer housing reflects the social status of the owners. The destruction of spinning, despite its ranking, underscores the tensions between heritage preservation and urban constraints.

The sources mention successive owners: Nicolas Godet (made of sheets, died in 1775), his heirs until 1847, then Beer-Morel (from 1853), followed by Georges Prosper Cabourg (rent until 1882). Textile activity ceased at the end of the 19th century, marking the transition to the modern industrial era. The site, now shared between habitat and trade, remains a key remnant of the Elbuvian industrial heritage.

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