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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne-le-Vieux, also known as Old Saint-Étienne, is an ancient Kenyan church founded probably in the 10th century, during the first boom of the city. Mentioned for the first time in 1067 under the name Sanctus Stephanus vetus in the charters of William the Conqueror, it stands out from Saint Stephen's Abbey built in the 11th century. His qualifier "the Old" comes from this proximity to the more prestigious abbey of Men.

Exposed near the ramparts, the church suffered heavy damage during the Hundred Years' War, especially during the siege of 1417. Reconstructed under the English occupation, it preserves from this time a characteristic octagonal tower-lantern. The parish, attached to the dean of Caen (diocese of Bayeux), saw its cemetery transferred outside the walls in 1784–85, before its decommissioning in 1793.

Disused after the Revolution, the church was classified as a historical monument in 1840, then in 1903, but its condition deteriorated. Threatened by demolition in the 19th century, it was saved by Arcisse de Caumont and Antoine Charma. In 1944, a shell destroyed much of the nave. Since then, the building, owned by the city, has remained closed to the public, despite restoration projects announced for reopening in 2026.

Architecturally, the church consists of a nave of five spans and a choir of two spans, flanked by collaterals. The flat bedside and the north-west/south-east orientation, with a slightly disoriented choir, make it a remarkable example of Norman religious heritage. The lateral galleries of the choir, without strolling, highlight its sober and functional style.

Today partly ruined, the church retains traces of its medieval reconstructions and its later uses, such as the storage of architectural fragments in the 19th century. Its ranking and protection testify to its historical importance, despite its prolonged abandonment. The work planned from 2025 onwards aims to stabilize the structure and allow its openness to the public.

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