Historical notes on Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer
(Extracts and adaptations of the Historical Notes on the Bessin, the Monumental Statistics of Arcisse de Caumont and the Heritage of the Communes of Calvados)
Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer
Canton of Trévières, Bayeux District, Area: 390 ha
Population 1999: 186 inhabitants (315 in 1806, 300 in 1851, 240 in 1901 and 1936, 225 in 1946 and 1954, between 170 and 190 from 1968).
Origin of the name: Saint Laurent, martyr of the 3th century.
About a hundred municipalities in France bear this name. Three are in Calvados.
Rated in 1277: Sanctus Laurentius supra mare
In 1475, the name was Saint-Lorens-sur-la-Mer
In 1675, the map of the diocese of Bayeux notes: Saint Laurent on the sea
The Commune has a 13th century church with a 14th century bell tower.
Elements of the history of this church were collected by local scholars around 1930.
Near the church were still visible a few years ago the remains of a castle whose keep is made of fish bones as well as the traces of an enclosure. This Castle was associated with a seigneurial domain Of which some remains of all eras remain and some have been classified as Historical Monuments (a Portal of 1470 And a 17th century facade). This domain has had several names successively: Saint-Laurent (in the Middle Ages), Quesnay farm (from the 17th century), Le Prieuré (20th century).
Among the remains of the old life of the village, there is a old washhouse restored at the foot of the church, still sometimes used since the last war and, opposite, a "leprous fountain", probably a legacy of the medieval era. At that time, we believed in the virtues of the water of this fountain for the healing of leprosy patients. There were many small farms, artisans, cafes. The many pre-war cafes and shops have now disappeared. Only postcards testify to this.
An important tourist activity has developed since the end of the 19th century, in front of the beach, in the district where mills were located (including the so-called Villa des Moulins which contains the remains of 2 of them). From many villas, several hotels and restaurants, and various shops have thus settled not far from the sea.
Quite in the East, at the place called le Ruquet, an important children's house had been established, abundantly photographed by Abbé Dubost, whose photographic passion left us many documents and postcards.
The war of course destroyed most of these buildings, but after resembling the seaside area was completely rebuilt and even extended eastwards to the border of Colleville-sur-Mer, very close to the American cemetery of Omaha Beach.
Aerial view of the center of
St. Lawrence with the church
And the domain of the "Priory"
The church
Classified portal, dated 1470, of the domain of St Laurent, later called Quesnay farm, then "Le Prieuré"
Old operating building
Classified, from the same domain of Saint-Laurent
Various documents and photographs
Panoramic view of the beach, Vierville side, around 2003
Here are some old maps of the region
(details) The cadastre of 1823, first established cadastre
An old map around 1855, with the description of the rivers and mills
(details) Map of 1675, (by Jean Petite) with the mention "Saint Laurent on the sea"
(details) Dedication of the card of
Jean Petite. Opposite the transcription of this text
(details) Cartridge presenting the "particularities of the diocese", whose full transcript is given below
(details) handwritten map by Mariette de la Pagerie, late 17th century
_____________
Dedication of Jean Petite's card:
A Monsignor the Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Mr. François de Nesmond, Evesque de Bayeux
Monsignor
I offer you this plan as a gift of your property, one of the fruits of your pastoral vigilance, and an excerpt that I have drawn from what I have learned with you from your Diocese, in the courtyards of the Calendars of your deans, visits to your Churches, Missions in your parishes, and Ecclesiastical Conferences in many of the places where God spreads his blessings through your Sacred Ministry where I have had the honor of accompanying you several times, and where you are continuously applied, I had proposed to mark in this Description other particularities that I have discovered in different places, and to join them to those that I have inserted in this map, but the lack of space has forced me to reserve them for the entire history of your Bishopric where you will have a good part. I expect from the Savants of antiquity some Memoirs before giving it to the Public.
However, Monsignor, accept this essay, and do not refuse your protection to the other purpose, since it is on your background that I work and that I am Monsignor, your very humble and very obedient Servant Petite, canon and official of Bayeux
(details) Cassini Map
(details) Map at 1/50000, revised in 1910
It was the most detailed existing in 1939. It indicated in particular the railway track of the 60cm track train that crossed the municipality from Formigny to Vierville
Map of Cassini, 1791
Geological map at 1/80,000 (old)- See Notice
Geological map at 1/50,000 (1970s)
Below, the geological section
Between Formigny, Louvières
And Vierville. The valley is the one
Of Veret
Summary of the Particularities of the Diocese of Bayeux (sic) extract from the map of Jean Petite, canon of Bayeux, 1675
This diocese is part of Lower Normandy, it is under the Parliament and the Archbishopric of Rouen. The Bessin flat country, fertile in wheat and herbs, and the more unequal Bocage, covered and dry, which carries rye, aucine and sarazin wheat, are the territories that share the time, between the villages where markets are, and the 3 walled cities BAYEUX, which is the oldest, is in good air and low place like the floor of an Amphitheater, lined with pieces of land, and meadows, cut with water and dormes, the Architecture of the Cathedral Church with its famous Clergy, the Episcopal Palace, the Convent of the Cordeliers, the hospital, the Castle, the Viconte, Vice baillage, Election, Grenier à Sel and the particular mastery of the Waters and Forests make it the main ornaments.
CAEN is the 2th and the most pleasant city in the province by its location, layout of streets, buildings, politeness, rivers, meadows, wheat campaigns, famous university, Scholarly Academies, baillage and presidential where 5 Vicomtez and 4 Vice baillages stand out, office of the Treasurers of France, Election, Grenier à Sel, Headquarters ... of great provost, waters and forests, and Admiralty, right to mint currency, large Abbeys, and convents, beautiful churches, 11 parishes, hospital, place Royale, fair fair, Castle with its dungeon and garrison.
VIRE is the 3th city, as populated as Bayeux, although it only has a parish whose clergy is more than 60 priests. There are as in the other 2 cities, hospital, Cordeliers, Capucins, Bénedictines, Vicomté, Vice baillage, Election, more than 30 mills for the manufactures of sheets or bures and papers.
Falaise, where the Guibray fair is, is the 4ème viscomté, which falls under the Presidial de Caen and the diocese of Sées for the spiritual.
Torigni, formerly the city of Augustodure, is only a large village where we see remains of antiquity, in 1515 was erected as a county, since we made the 5ème Vicomté and Vice Baillage by the dismemberment of Bayeux, there is Prieuré and Abbey of St Bernard, the Castle and the marble Mausoleum of the marshal of Mar of Matignon are to be seen, like the houses of Tury, Beny, Flers with its cedars, Balleroy with its fir wood and its hunts or avenues or avenues and those of Cournaudon, St Clair, of the Menil, the Garden of the curious plants of Mr Doseuille in Ver, the reefs of the cemeteries, St Germain and St Germain Cider makes the delights of the tables, the best is from Isigny; and for other foods, Vire bread, sheep and rabbits from Cabourg, beef from Auge, veal and butter from Trévières, chickens from Bayeux, cakes from Cintheaux, galettes from Vimon, oysters from Luc, soles from Grandcamp, mussels from Isigny, alose d'Orne, trout from the rocks from Vire and Noireau, pikes from Seulles, Aure and Drôme, butter trafficking in Isigny, cattle in Villers le Bocage, paper in Vire, Planqueri, St Quentin d'Elle, knives in Condé-sur-Noireau, leathers in Caen, canvases and serges as in Bayeux and tanned cows are renowned.
There are 2 Marquisates, 2 Counties, 12 Baronies, 3 large Chatelenies, 42 small ones called Sergenteries, 5 Special Admiralty Seats. For the Spiritual, the Episcopal See is in Bayeux, 2 official seats share the jurisdiction from the Holy place to Manerbe, which contain 4 Chapters including that of the cathedral, 4 Archdeaconates, 5 rural Decans, and 2 of Christianity, one in Bayeux and the other in Caen, 12 Abbeys of Men and 2 of Girls plus 17 other Convents of Men and 13 of Girls, 14 priories, both in rule and in order, 7 Commanderies of Malta, 5 Personats, plus 200 Chapels founded, in addition to the ruined, 8 hospitals, 2 Seminaries, 24 Ecclesiastical Conferences, 625 parishes served by 655 parish priests, including those of Bayeux and Caen who were not marked for lack of space that will be put in the rubble of the history of the benefits of this diocese; finally there are nearly a million Communiants, and we can say in general that common
Aerial photos dated August 10, 1944, showing Moulins au Ruquet beach, the aerodrome and activities of the port of Omaha Beach during the summer of 1944 that followed the Allied Landing.
IGN photos of 8/28/1947, up the Gooseberry dike, the "causeway" of the Ruquet and the various wrecks.
We can also see the American cemetery of Colleville in its first form, dating from the summer of 1944. It was completely reworked a few years later.
