Caen stone(French:Pierre de Caen) is a light creamy-yellowJurassiclimestonequarried in north-western France near the city ofCaen.The limestone is a fine grainedoolitic limestoneformed in shallow water lagoons in theBathonianAge about 167 million years ago. The stone is homogeneous, and therefore suitable for carving.
Use in building
editThe stone was first used for building in theGallo-Romanperiod with production from open cast quarries restarting in the 11th century. Shipped to England,Canterbury Cathedral,Westminster Abbeyand theTower of Londonwere all partially built from Caen stone. Underground mining developed in the 19th century, but the stone trade declined in the 20th century eventually ceasing in the 1960s. Excavation restarted in the 1980s with the stone being used for building theCaen Memorial.A 2004 decree by Caen city council authorised the annual quarrying of 9000 tonnes of stone.
Notable examples
edit- Caen stone was used in the construction of the late 11th-century austere Norman Romanesque Church of Saint-Étienne, at theAbbaye-aux-Hommes(on the east side ofCaen), which was founded byWilliam the Conqueror,whose tomb is located there.
- The Norman Romanesque Church of La Trinité, at theAbbaye-aux-Dames(on the west side of the city), was founded by William's wife,Matilda of Flanders.Her tomb is located there.
- Both abbeys in Caen were built with Caen stone inNormanRomanesque style, and both were unscathed by heavy aerial bombing in July 1944 that destroyed much of the city, as they were being used by the local populace to shelter from the air raids.[1]
- Used by the Normans for thecathedralandcastleinNorwich,where it was brought by boat up theRiver Wensum.Caen stone was also used extensively inCanterbury cathedral.It was used byHenry I of EnglandatReading Abbeyand fine examples of Romanesque sculpture in Caen stone are in the collection at theMuseum of Reading.Perhaps the most famous Norman building that used Caen stone in its construction is theTower of London.[2]
- Caen stone continued to be a popular material in Britain after the Norman period. For example, it was used for parts of the 19th-centuryclock tower at the Palace of Westminster(Big Ben).[3]
- The statues on theMartyrs' MemorialinOxfordare carved of Caen stone.[4]
- Caen stone has also been exported to the United States, Bermuda, Canada[5]and recently Saudi Arabia. Thenarthexscreen on the east wall of the sanctuary atOld South Churchin Boston, Massachusetts is built of Caen stone.
The high altar ofSt. Mary's ChurchinDedham, Massachusettsis made of Caen stone.[6][7]
See also
edit
- List of types of limestone– Limestone deposits listed by location
References
edit- Geology of Normandy (French Language)
- List of buildings which have used Caen Stone (French Language)
- "La Pierre de Caen", press Article in "Patrimoine Normand" (French Language)
- Notes
- ^page 28 of guidebook published by the Society of Friends of St Etienne Abbey, Caen
- ^Tatton-Brown, Tim (2011-03-07)."Medieval building stone at the Tower of London".Medievalists.net.Retrieved2023-03-06.
- ^Bignell, Eric (16 December 2021)."Big Ben at Houses of Parliament".www.stonespecialist.com.Retrieved2023-03-06.
- ^"Martyrs' Memorial, Oxford".gilbertscott.org.Retrieved9 June2023.
- ^Remillard, François (1990).Montreal Architecture: A Guide to Styles and Buildings.Montreal: Meridian. p. 142.
- ^"Dedham Catholic Church Dedicated".Boston Evening Transcript.September 8, 1900. p. 38.RetrievedApril 12,2015.
- ^"Notable Day for Catholics of Dedham: St Mary's Church Dedicated With Elaborate Ceremonies, Apostolic Delegate--Martinelli Officiating Sermon by Bishop Bradley of Manchester, N H."Boston Daily Globe.September 10, 1900. p. 7 (subscription required).RetrievedMay 21,2024.