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The tower, rising at transept crossing, dates back to the early 13th century, that is to say much before the nave was erected. It is 21 metres high, hardly as high as the nave, so that only the North-east side is visible since the rest is hidden by the transepts and the nave that were built two centuries later. When this tower was erected, in typical Anglo-Norman style, as this short square tower indicates, the Romanesque pillars at transept crossing had to be transformed into four Gothic piers so as to support it. The very same tower also accounts for the large blind wall inside at the end of the nave, which surprises visitors, since this wall is indeed the South-Western wall of the tower. ( See the Inside pages)

 

First level

Photo Leleu, 1912

The first level is decorated with thin small columns with intersecting arches. This arrangement is one of the characteristics of Anglo-Norman churches. Here both the main and the secondary arches are pointed whereas , at the same date, Amiens cathedral still uses semicircular arches in the lower parts of the South porch (a strange archaism for the years 1230 - 1250 ). The lantern tower: the first level had several windows to illuminate the transept crossing , and this is another typically Anglo-Norman feature. An account for the years 1434 -1435 inform us that at that time," the glass of the lantern tower" was being repaired. This space is vaulted with 8 ribs radiating around a circular keystone. The ribs are supported by capitals in the corners and by corbels on the side walls: in the east and the west they are shaped as the heads of a king and of a queen. However, a floor was built in the 15-16th century between this level and the church below, thus turning the first level of the tower into a room of its own, that can be accessed only from the outside terraces, and closing off the 'lantern' part of the tower.

The former lantern tower, now a separate room Photo Leleu, 1912

Second level

Each side of the second level - the bell tower as a matter of fact since the bells are housed there - is decorated with two wide windows with pointed crowns, each possessing a trumeau (a vertical column dividing the window into two) as well as salient small columns and arches. Finally a very pointed arch can be seen at each corner, another example of the Norman Gothic and small columns rise at the very corners of the tower in order to avoid any leanness.

 

The bells

The church houses seven bells, four in the little towersof the Western front, and three in the main tower.

South tower: a large bell that used to ring the hours (diameter 1,25m) and two small ones to ring the quarters. The main bell dates from 1401 , a small one from 1431. (Both are listed as National Heritage.) La big bell has an inscription on it which reads: "Hautaine je futz appelée a deus, mille cinq cens pesée. Fete mil quatre cens et un en la fin du mois de juillet." (Haughty I was called a deus, weighing one thousand five hundred. Made in 1401 at the end of July) This bell , still in the South tower, has been taken down and now rests on the ground. North tower: a small 0,60m bell for ringing the Angelus. it is dated 1848 and named Marie Louise Note: none of these bells are still used..

The big bell in the South tower

Main tower: three bells, one dating from 1605, the others from 1861 and 1957.

• The first one (diameter 1,40 m) has this inscription:
  "Je fus fondue par les paroissiens de Sainte-Geneviève de Vernon et fus nommée Marie par les habitants de Bizy. Me fit Nicolas Buret"
  (I was cast by the parishioners of Sainte-Geneviève's of Vernon and was named Marie by the inhabitants of Bizy. Nicolas Buret make me.)

• The second bell (diameter 1,32m; weight: about 1,350 kg) was cast in 1861 but it had to be cast again after World War II.
  Its original inscription read:
  "J'ai été bénite en 1861 par Mgr Devoucoux Evêque d'Evreux, nommée Napoléon Albertine par M. le Duc d'Albuféra, Maire de Vernon et par Mme Albertine Elisa Duval. Etant curé Michel Moulin, Président de la fabrique N. Roycourt, Trésorier C. Dubois.A. Hildebrand à Paris fondeur de l'Empereur."
  (I was blessed in 1861 by Mgr Devoucoux , Bishop of Evreux, named Napoléon Albertine by the Duke of Albuféra, Mayor of Vernon and by Mrs Albertine Elisa Duval. Michel Moulin was the Vicar, N. Roycourt President of the Church Council and C. Dubois the Bursar. A. Hildebrand in Paris being the Emperor's bell caster.)

• The modern inscription says:
  

REFONDUE EN L AN DE GRACE 1957 S S PIE XII ETANT PAPE SON Exc Mgr ALPHONSE GAUDRON EVEQUE D EVREUX Mre PIERRE SOUTY CHAN HON CURE-DOYEN Mr GEORGES AZEMIA MAIRE DE VERNON BENITE LE 5 MAI 1957 PAR SON Exc Mgr ALPHONSE GAUDRON EVEQUE D EVREUX J AI ETE NOMMEE NAPOLEON LOUIS ANNA MARCELLE FRANCOISE PAR MON PARRAIN Mr RENE MARIN CONSEILLER MUNICIPAL ET MA MARRAINE DUCHESSE SUCHET D ALBUFERA NEE ANNA MASSENA CORNILLE HAVARD VILLEDIEU BIARD ROY Ste AUSTREBERTHE

(Cast again in the year of grace 1957, HH Pius XII being Pope, His Excellency Adolphe Gaudron, Bishop of Evreux, Revd Pierre Souty, Parish Vicar, Mr Georges Azemia, Mayor of Vernon
Blessed on May 5th, 1957 by His Excellency Adolphe Gaudron, Bishop of Evreux, I was named Napoleon Louis Anna Marcelle Françoise by my Godfather, Mr René Marin, City Councellor, and my Godmother the Duchess Suchet d'Albuféra, born Anna Masséna
Cornille Havard ( in) Villedieu
Biard Roy (in) Ste Austreberthe)

• The last bell (diameter 1,16m, about 950 kg ) is dated 1861 with an inscription that reads:

  J AI ETE BENITE EN 1861 PAR Mgr DEVOUCOUX EVEQUE D EVREUX NOMMEE RAOUL MARIE GASTON PAR MR RL SUCHET MQIS D'ALBUFERA ET PAR MME FLCE MIE JPHNE MOREL ETANT CURE MICHEL MOULIN PRESIDENT DE LA FABRIQUE N ROYCOURT TRESORIER C DUBOIS
  HILDEBRAND A PARIS FONDEUR DE L EMPEREUR

  (I was blessed in 1861 by Mgr Devoucoux , Bishop of Evreux, named Raoul-Marie-Gaston by Mr. Rl Suchet Marquess of Albuféra and by MrsFlce Mie Jphne. Michel Moulin was the Vicar, N. Roycourt President of the Church Council and C. Dubois the Bursar.
  Hildebrand in Paris being the Emperor's bell caster.)

Copyright 2005

Glossary

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