You are here:
Abbeys > France > Lower Normandy > La Hoguette > Saint-André-en-Gouffern

Saint-André-en-Gouffern

Founded in 1131 by Guillaume de Ponthieu, the abbey belonged to the order of Savigny, which joined the order of Cistercians in 1147. Due to the war between French and English, it was partly burnt in 1356. In 1450, King Charles VII slept at St André after the conquest of Caen. From 1555, the “mise en commende” marked the beginning of a long decline.It was sold as nationalised property and became a stone quarry. The Abbey was situated at the edge of wooded country, the forest of Gouffern, at the source of the river, le Trainefeuille and seven ponds and near the stones quarry where stones for building were extracted, in a tranquil setting but near to the main road, leading from Falaise to Argentan. The host-building: rectangular, with two levels, beginning of XIVth century. The walls are made of thin blocks of red freestone, originally covered with plaster. Buttresses made of Caen stone with quoins of white chalk. Inside, interlockinggroined arches. Only a few plained capitals. The big window divided into pointed arches with Y shaped windows .The roof timbers are made in the shape of an inverted ship's hull, panelled and painted. The restoration was realized by local artisans, who worked with skill and love. Further away, from the Hostellerie of the Abbey, only a few blinded windows of the church are left, and corbels of the cloister. The building for converse monks, refectory, dormitory and cellar, with roman windows on the ground floor and smaller windows higher up comprises another property.