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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin, located in the former commune of Saint-Martin-du-Mesnil-Oury (Calvados, Normandy), dates mainly from the 16th century, although it retains older elements such as an ogival gate of the 13th and a porch of the 17th century. The building, built of stone, wood and clay, features traces of the spicatum that evoke a possible Romanesque heritage. Its frame bell tower, covered with slates, houses a bell of 1734 replaced in 1929. The porch, classified in 1926, is decorated with sculptures of musicians and an inscription of 1524, typical of the churches of the Auge country.

The church underwent several restorations, notably in 1873 (roof), 1920 (walls and frames financed by subscription), and from 1976 (choir vault, porch, altarpiece). Thefts marked its history: a Charity of Saint Martin (XVIe) stolen in 1979 and found in Belgium, and a statue of Saint Barbe (XVIe) disappeared around 2000. The instability of the clay terrain threatens its structure, causing cracks and a risk of collapse. A safeguard association was established in 2004 to consolidate the structure and walls.

The interior houses a painted 18th-century altarpiece, initially judged worthless by Arcisse de Caumont but revalued as a remarkable trompe-l'oeil in the 1960s. The furniture includes polychrome statues (Jesus Christ, Saint Martin, Saint Barbe), a 17th century tabernacle, and flamboyant trace altars. The church, registered with the Historic Monuments in 1974, once belonged to the patronage of the Abbey of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives. Its current isolation, far from the dwellings, contrasts with its past central role, as evidenced by its former surrounding cemetery.

Arcisse de Caumont, in his monumental Statistique du Calvados (1867), described the building as "rustic" and difficult to date, but stressed its archaeological interest. The rectangular windows, the narrow nave (10 m) lower than the choir, and the south wall reinforced with bricks reflect successive adaptations. The porch, told the readers, was once used to disseminate local information, illustrating the church's social role in the rural community.

Contemporary challenges include clay-related degradation and the maintenance of wood coatings and elements of the sacristy (work planned for 2016). Despite its precarious state, the church remains a testimony of Norman religious architecture, mixing Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles, in a hilly landscape between Livarot and Lisieux.

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