- FRANCE - PART ONE -

Bayeux : Part 2

LINKS to other pages in the FRANCE PART ONE site and to the Colin Day Travelling Days series:

A local legend, found in the breviaries of the fifteenth century, describes St. Exuperius, said to be a direct disciple of St. Clement, as being the first Bishop of Bayeux, the see being founded in the first century. In truth, it was only towards the middle of the fourth century that St. Exuperius founded the See of Bayeux.

Following him St. Reverendus did much for the propagation of the faith in the district. A number of their successors were also deemed to be saints, including Rufinianus, Lupus (around 465) and Vigor (at the beginning of the sixth century) who destroyed a pagan temple then still in use.

Notre-Dame cathedral is contemporary with the abbeys in Caen. It was started in 1066, and consecrated in 1077. Odon of Conteville (1050-97), half-brother of William the Conqueror, was its first bishop. He had been present at the Battle of Hastings and died in a crusade to Sicily. It was he who is now considered to have commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry. For four hundred years the tapesty was to be found in the cathedral. The cathedral (and the tapestry) fortunately survived the fire of 1105.

The Cathedral was built in the latter part of the 11th century on the site of previous sanctuaries. It was here (but in a much different building) that William compelled Harold to swear an oath of allegiance to him.

Odon of Bayeux was responsible for the initial cathedral. However, only the crypt and the parts of the west towers survive from 14 July 1077, the day that the cathedral was dedicated and the Bayeux Tapestry was first displayed.

The cathedral's choir was rebuilt a century later, and the chapels were added in the 14th century. Most of the stonework is in the Gothic style although the central tower was erected in the 15th century and later capped with a dome in the 19th century. The façade has five sculpted doorways. The work performed in successive centuries is clearly visible in the vast nave which is 102 metres (335 feet) in length.

Some of the stained glass in the cathedral.

The crypt of Bayeux Cathedral dates from 1077.

One of the five sculptured doorways in the cathedral.