Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Sainte-Cécile church of Acquigny, located in the Eure in Normandy, was built between 1545 and 1572, also corresponding to the building of the local castle. The choir dates from 1545, while the nave was erected between 1552 and 1572. Its present stylistic unit, marked by the eighteenth century, is the result of the transformations orchestrated by Pierre-Robert Le Roux d'Esneval, President of the Normandy Parliament, nicknamed the "President of Acquigny". The latter, from a family of Rouennais, oversees the renovation works, including the reconstruction of the brick bell tower (circa 1750) and the stone façade (circa 1780), adorned with bas-reliefs of Saint Maux and Saint Venerand carved by Fouquet.

The interior decoration, chosen by the President of Acquigny, is distinguished by its golden woodwork, paintings and high altar (1748), erected to celebrate the birth of his son, Esprit-Robert-Marie Le Roux d'Esneval. The chapel of the Holy Spirit, blessed in 1769, and the oversized sacristy contain remarkable elements, such as the President's private oratory, surmounted by the skull of Dom Rigobert Levesque (died 1679), object of meditation. The church, which was listed as a historic monument in 1975 and 2001, underwent restorations in 1976 and 2016, while a new interior campaign was being prepared to counter the degradations caused by moisture.

The "Little Castle", joined to the church at the end of the President's life, includes a modest dwelling and areas dedicated to piety, including a seigneurial gallery, a paneled library and an oratory. This set, classified in 2001 with the President's private apartments, illustrates the intimacy between political power, religion and architectural heritage. Today, the church is partially visited on Saturdays in summer, while a local association, Friends of St. Cecile Church, has been working to preserve it since 2006.

External links