EVENTS OF THE CCSMA ASSOCIATION


Pierres en lumières - Stones in lights (17th of May 2014)

The Heritage Foundation and the General Council of Calvados have organized the 3rd edition of "Stones in lights": "an important event to discover or rediscover the rich heritage and treasures of the department which will link municipalities, associations and private owners who showcase their castles, houses and churches across the department ... ".

Lights, paintings and music

The Chapel of Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais, which has so far never known the magic of electricity, was lit up and  resonated to the music of a flautist and artist from a country that was unknown at the time of the construction of the chapel, Colombia. Adolfo Leon Rodriguez  played classical melodies and popular music from his country. In addition against the background of the remarkable wall paintings of the 13th  century, he exhibited paintings that are decidedly from the 21st century.

The newspaper Le Pays d'Auge  has published a short report :

The following slideshow presents some pictures of the preparation and the carrying out of this event.

Journées du Patrimoine - Heritage days 2014 (September 20th and 21st)

In order to announce visits of the chapel, which were proposed by the association, the newspaper Ouest-France has interviewed our president and published an article, giving information on works to be carried out and on expected fundings :


You can read this article (in french) on the Internet site of the newspaper by clicking on its image above.

The chapel in the magazine Le Pays d'Auge

In the edition of January-February 2015 (n°1 of the 65th year) of its prestigious magazine, the association "Le Pays d'Auge" has published an article (3 pages), which summarizes the history, treasures and the revival of the chapel of Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais ; on the last page, a part of the painting representing the assault of a tower is reproduced.

Click on the image of the displayed page in order to center it, then on the arrow on the right side, to show the next one (or on the left arrow to go back to the previous page).


Pierres en lumières - Stones in lights (16th of May 2015)


The musical ensemble Vino tinto




For the 4th édition of "Stones in lights" organized by the  Heritage Foundation and the Departemental Council of Calvados, our association has invited the columbian musical group Vino tinto.

In the illuminated chapel,  a very beautiful concert of columbian folk music was given by Adolfo Rodriguez (flute), Alejandro Guzman (singing and percussion) and Gustavo Monte de Oca  (guitar).


Musical styles were very various : fierce and languid musics from the  Andes, joyful village dances.

About 30 persons listened to this high-level concert. We hope you will be more numerous for the next musical event in the chapel : the concert of sunday afternoon, the 20th of September 2015, within the framework of Heritage days.



The audience heartily applauded musicians.

The video, hereafter, lets you experience a large part part of the concert.  If you don't have time enough to listen to these excellent musicians till the end, go to the 52nd minute in order to appreciate their virtuosity  : they go on playing  in the dark, being unable to read their musical score.



Our association in the magazine of the Heritage Foundation (Fondation du Patrimoine)

Both associations which are working for saving and restoring historic buildings of Le Mesnil-Mauger, particularly CCSMA for the chapel of Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais, are in the place of honour.



Concert of Heritage days 2015  (September 20th)


Un concert a été donné par l'ensemble à cordes "Rencontres musicales", fondé et dirigé par madame Nelly Lemoine. Devant 70 à 75 spectateurs, 15 musiciens, tous professionnels, ont interprété des œuvres des auteurs baroques suivants : Telemann, Haendel, Vivaldi dont le neuvième concerto pour violon et cordes. Ils ont également joué des musiques d'auteurs plus récents : Fauré, des compositeurs anglais, Britten et Elgar.

Le concert s'est terminé par le quatrième concerto pour orgue et cordes d'Haendel, magnifiquement interprété par Sylvain Vaudé sur un orgue électronique. C'était surement la première fois que l'on jouait de l'orgue dans la chapelle. En bis Richard Rosefort, violoniste et compositeur a joué avec l'orchestre "Transfert", un morceau qu'il a composé pour un documentaire "Le cri du marché" de Benoit Giorgini : une musique très originale et touchante. Le public a remercié, par une "standing ovation", ces musiciens venus bénévolement jouer pour la restauration de la chapelle.

To see other photos of the concert, click on this picture, then on Diaporama (slideshow) in the page that will then be opened.

We recorded both parts of the concert (about 40 and 57 minutes).  If you ask for these files, we will send them to you.


The chapel in the magazine Moyen Âge



Six pages of the edition n°107 (October 2016) of this magazine are dedicated to the chapel of Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais.

Written by Hubert Groult and illustrated with photos by Erik Le Brun, this article remembers its history ans presents its wall paintings.

At the end, it suggest readers to join our association.

The chapel in the newspaper L'Eveil de Lisieux

In its edition of 2nd of November 2016, this newspaper described the visit of the chapel which was organized before the beginning of restoration works by CCSMA, in partnership with Pays d'Auge Expansion. It summarizes words of Jacques Devos about gained fundings for the first phase of works and those of Jean-Louis Le Saux on "esoteric and mathematical" aspects of the design of the  chapel.



February 2017 : start of works



Click on the picture to read a report (in french) of the first site meeting, which was hold in the chapel on February the 15th.


October 2017 : the bell tower spectacularly took off for its restoration




Click here to see a video of the television coverage by France3 Normandie.
 

August 2019 : Article in Ouest-France, after an interview of Jacques Devos

Le Mesnil-Mauger. Les soldats morts au chemin des Trois Clochers


Le premier bataillon de Gordon Highlanders a libéré le secteur de Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais © Ouest-France

Le chemin des Trois Clochers, qui s’enroule autour de Sainte-Marie aux Anglais, est bien connu des randonneurs. Cependant, peu savent que le 17 août 1944, ce sentier si paisible a été le théâtre d’un épisode dramatique de la libération de la Normandie. Ce matin-là, le major Lindsay, commandant du 1er bataillon de Gordon Highlanders, « reçoit l’ordre de libérer le secteur du Doux Marais puis Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais et d’éliminer toute résistance ennemie aux alentours », rappelle Jacques Devos, président de l’association pour la conservation de la chapelle de Sainte-Marie aux Anglais, féru d’histoire et amoureux du pays d’Auge.

Le major craint la descente allant du Doux Marais à la vallée de la Viette « car le terrain, très irrégulier avec des arbres et des buissons, se prête bien à une embuscade ». Malgré tout, « il déploie ses troupes escortées de chars Churchill et déclenche sa mission ». Malheureusement, le pressentiment du major se concrétise et à la sortie d’un bois au lieu-dit la Tuilerie, une section « se retrouve sous le feu croisé d’armes automatiques Allemandes ». Le bilan est lourd « presque tous les hommes de la section périssent dont leur chef le Sergent Walker ». Un peu plus tard, d’autres soldats écossais sont victimes de la traîtrise des troupes ennemies « qui brandissent un drapeau blanc en signe de reddition et tirent en profitant de la situation ».

Au final, 34 jeunes hommes perdront la vie « Charles Millet, Douglas Murray, Gerald Wilson et beaucoup d’autres sont inhumés au cimetière de Lisieux ». Leur sacrifice n’a pas été vain et a facilité la libération de Lisieux, deux jours plus tard. Jacques Devos souhaite marquer l’endroit sur le chemin des Trois Clochers et, en attendant, propose à ceux qui l’empruntent, « ayons une pensée pour ces soldats qui sont tombés pour nous libérer ».

October 2019 : For the first time, to our knowledge, since the chapel was desecreted, a mass was celebrated (article published in the newspaper Ouest-France)

October 2019 : The prize-giving ceremony of "rubans du Patrimoine", in the newspaper Ouest-France