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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of the Nativity of Our Lady, located in the village of Soulangy (Calvados, Normandy), dates from the first half of the thirteenth century. It replaces a primitive church located at the place known as the field of the church of Saint-Evroult, whose patronage was given in 1050 to the abbey of Saint-Evroult by the sons of Robert de Grandmesnil. This first building was attached to the former diocese of Sées, marking the medieval religious anchor of the region.

Ranked as a historical monument by decree of 21 May 1910, the present church underwent major restorations in the 19th century. In 1859, the choir was restored under the impulse of Léon de La Mondière (mayor and president of the factory) and Louis-François Halley (curé), with painting, gilding and stained glass works entrusted to M. Bazoche, painter of Argentan. The staircase of the pulpit, designed by the Parisian architect Mr. Garnot, was made by the sacristan Louis Devaux.

The nave, restored in 1867 under the direction of Alexander Corneville (mayor) and still with Louis-François Halley, saw its windows remodeled in a Gothic style by the local artisans Léon Tumboeuf (stone tailor) and Victor Picard (mason). The stained glass windows were made by Mr. Bazoche and Mr. Prunier (glass painter of Falaise). These works illustrate efforts to preserve Norman religious heritage in the 19th century, combining local know-how and Parisian influences.

The church now belongs to the municipality of Soulangy and remains an architectural testimony of the transition between Romanesque and Gothic in Normandy. Its classification in 1910 underscores its heritage value, linked to its medieval history and careful restorations, reflecting the conservation challenges of the 19th century.

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