Ouistreham (canton of Ouistreham, Calvados) Church of Saint-Samson

    The church of Saint-Samson in Ouistreham was built in the second quarter of the 12th century in the dependency of the Abbaye-aux-Dames in Caen. It probably owes the richness of its decoration to this significant patronage. The decoration is uniquely geometrical, with an exceptionally high west façade, with three ranges of arches above a porch without tympanum. The nave is also reminiscent of the arrangements of the abbey church of the Trinité in Caen (Abbaye-aux-Dames). The choir and tower are of the 13th century.

Bibliography

- Caumont, Arcisse de. - Statistique monumentale du Calvados, Hardel, Caen, 1859, T. I, p. 417 à 421.
- Musset, Lucien. - Dictionnaire des églises de France, Robert Laffont, 1968, T. IV-B, p. 122.
- Musset, Lucien. - Normandie romane, Zodiaque, La Pierre-Qui-Vire, 1987, T. I, p. 37.
- Les siècles romans en Basse-Normandie, Art de Basse-Normandie, n° 92, Printemps 1985, p. 104.
- Baylé, Maylis (dir.). – L’architecture normande au Moyen-Age, Condé-sur-Noireau : Editions Charles Corlet, Caen : Presses universitaires de Caen, 1997, T. 2, p. 78 à 81.
- Pougheol, J. Letellier, Michel. Saint-Louvent, Louise (de). “ Les églises du canton de Douvres ”, dans : Douvres-la-Délivrande et le canton, Art de Basse-Normandie, n° 14, été 1959, p. 27.
- Margerie, A. – Saint-Samson de Ouistreham, mémoire de maîtrise, Paris I, 1993