The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-02-03
NORMAN CHURCHES.
SEVERAL spEclMENs OF EARLY NOR
MAN ARCHITECTURE.

Castles, Churches and Tombs Built by
William the Conqueror and His Wife.
They Remain Today Rare Examples of
Simple Grandeur In Building.
1t was to hold his own against them and
to keep his rsbsiiious subjects in order
that William built the great castle at
Caen. William was not legitimate son
and had no legitimate claim to the throne.
He was not even highborn, Mt least on his
mothers side, and on his fathers side he
was the son of murderer; yet he proved
to be one of the most able rulers of his
time, and not only governed with great
success the duchy of Normandy, but con-
quered and administered all England
From William the Conqueror we have
the Domesday book and the feudal system
which constitute the foundation of our
English aristocracy. How the aristocratic
idea can have sprung out of SO unaristo-
cratic an origin is one of those anomalies
which plentifully characterize our social
institutions.
The castle of Caen, like the Tower of Lon.
don, though commenced by William the
Conqueror, was not finished by him. 1t
was Henry OF England who completed
this fortress when after some fighting he
firmly united the duchy OF Normandy to
the throne of England. The town of Caen
thus fortified has been fought for, attacked
and pillaged on many occasions.
In 1916 it was pillaged by Edward III of
! England, and again in 14l7 by Henry V.
The French, led by the brave Dunois, took
the town back in 1850, and then the Duke
of Somerset, with 1900 English soldiers
who had taken refuge in the castle, had to
captulate. After the wars between the
English and the French ceased the Protes-
tants and the Catholics fought for possess
sion of the town, and it was taken by the
Protestants in 1862 and not given up till
the peace of Amboise. During the great
revolution Caen was a center of the
Girondist party, and it was from Caen that
] Charlotte Corday started for Paris to as
sassihate Marat.
In spite of all these broils, wars and
troubles the two churches built the one
by William the Csnqueror, the other by
Matilda, his wife, remain still as mag
nifcent specimens Of the early Norman
architecture. St. Estienne, or the Mems
abbey, is a most impressive structure. Its
twin octagon towers were built in 1904,
two years before the conquest of England.
One is surprised at the extreme simplicity
Of outline when contemplating the church
and these two towers. Yet the great
severity of the line imparts majestic APP
pearance.
A sense Of force and grandeur is engen-
dered. Within the building is somewhat
spoiled by more recent additions. \ large
gothic chapel was added in the Fourteenth
century, and, though beautiful in itself, it
clashes with the Norman style of the ear
lier part OF the editice. In front Of the high
altar Il marble slab indicates the spot
where William the Conqueror was buried
sos years ago.
At the opposite end of the town Trinity
church, or the Ladies' abbey, will bevisited
with even more interest 1t was in the yeat
of the conquest in 1866 that Matilda, the
wife of the conqueror commenced to build
this church. The church has suffered less
from the outrages of time aud has beer
very perfectly restored.
Yet the spires on the two square tower
were pulled down, for strategical reasons
in 1860, by Du Gucsclin, who was then fight
ing against Charles the Bad, a prince who
claimed the throne of burgundy, and wa,
one of the most perfdious men Of his time
What with Charles the Simple, Robert TIL,
Devil, William the Bastard and Charles
the Bad we do not get very good idea o
the monarchical principle. However, Queer
Matilda, if we may believe the epitaph OF
her tombstone, gives better example
This will be found Immediately behind TIL,
grand altar Of the Trinity church. Tn
following are the words:
"She loved piety, she consoled the poor
and, poor herself, found herself only rich 81
as to distribute her wealth among the in
digent. 1t is in consequence Of this con
duct that ON Nov. /, after G in the morn
ing, she went to enjoy eternal life."
The church she built and where her re
mains still slumber is not so vast nor s.
imposing as that which incloses the toni
) of her royal consort, the conquerer; but i
Ia more pure in style and much more eie
giant. Here, undisturbed, we may admir-
the early Norman style of architecture
!, There is, it is true, a chapel of the transi
ton epoch to the right of the nave but |
5 has to be entered to be seen; it stands wei
back and does not mar the general effect.
There is something mysterious and aw
inspiring about this Norman style Of arch
lecture. 1t takes us back into the Oar
Ages. There is an absence of ornaments
: ton, a simplicity of design, combined wit
rude strength which is imposing, majes
tic, and yet clearly shows that the refine
ments of life were not yet developed. Th
stones speak with the voice of history. On
understands better the Norman perio
a from viewing these Norman buildings.
Then when from these Eleventh centur
i churches we proceed to view St. Pierre
q built in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Gel
turtles, we grasp at once the glories {
gothic art. Around us in the street
/. there are also many beautiful privat
houses and mansions, built in the Thi
, teenth. the Fourteenth aud the Fifteent
&c centuries, and well preserved. We q
some idea of the picturesque aspect of
medieval city anti sigh for those hapI
q times when artisans Were artists, when IL
r workman knew every department of h
il trade, when there was no subdivision
4 labor, wien there was little or no IN
chiuery, when workmen became maste
in their turn, when shoddy was nnknow
when time was of no great value VIII,
years could be devoted over one piece
5l work, aud when the most beautiful, Il
=. most artistic buildings lie world possess
were raised, which, with all the machine
Is and all the wealth Of tie Nineteenth &C
+. tuty, we cannot initiate or reproduce,
Philadelphia Telegraph.
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