Cerisy-la-Forêt - Abbey Saint-Vigor

Legends tell, that Saint Vigor, Bishop of Bayeux, founded a convent here within the 6th century.
In 1032 Robert I, Duke of Normandy, (aka "Robert the Magnificent", "Robert le Magnifique"), father of William the Conqueror, who became a pious man in his older age (and died during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem),
sponsored the Benedictine abbey and so the erection of the abbey-church started the same year.

The abbey was wealthy and important in medieval times, but declined like most other convents. It existed upto the French Revolution, when the last six monks were forced to leave. The abbey got sold and most of the conventual buildings got demolished.

The church was in a bad state after an earthquake (!) in 1775. It got renovated within the 19th century, since then serves the parish. Most of the Romanesque capitals are roughly carved like these lionheads. They were surely painted once. Some color can still be seen.