Saint-Saëns | |
|---|---|
 A general view of Saint-Saëns | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
 Location of Saint-Saëns | |
  Saint-Saëns  Saint-Saëns | |
| Coordinates:49°40′N1°17′E / 49.67°N 1.28°E /49.67; 1.28 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Department | Seine-Maritime |
| Arrondissement | Dieppe |
| Canton | Neufchâtel-en-Bray |
| Intercommunality | CC Bray-Eawy |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Karine Hunkeler[1] |
Area 1 | 25.5 km2 (9.8 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 2,307 |
| • Density | 90.5/km2 (234/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 76648 /76680 |
| Elevation | 90–229 m (295–751 ft) (avg. 110 m or 360 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Saint-Saëns (French:[sɛ̃sɑ̃s], until about 1940–1950[sɛ̃sɑ̃])[3] is acommune in theSeine-Maritimedepartment in theNormandy region in northernFrance. A small town offarming and associatedlight industry situated by the banks of the riverVarenne in thePays de Bray, some 19 miles (31 km) southeast ofDieppe at the junction of the D929, D12, D99 and the D154 roads. Junction 11 of theA28 autoroute with theA29 autoroute is within the commune's territory.
The year 674 saw the foundation of a monastery on the hill at the present-day location of the village. The first abbot wasSidonius (Saëns), an Irish monk and a disciple of StPhilibert of Jumièges. Sidonius died in about 689 and was buried in the monastery.
Called "Sancti Sidonii" in a document of around 830, it was destroyed by theVikings in the 9th century. In the 11th century, theseigneurs of Saint-Saëns were rich and powerful men. One of them became governor ofRouen and another excelled at theBattle of Hastings.[vague][citation needed] In 1127,Helias of Saint-Saens was outlawed in England on the orders ofHenry I of England for shelteringGuillaume Cliton, rebel claimant to theduchy of Normandy. The seigneurs built again on Cateliers hill, this time a castle and acollegiate church which later became theBenedictine abbey ofSaint-Wandrille.
The castle was taken in 1204 by the French kingPhilip II Augustus and became part of France, like most of Normandy by this time.
About 1167[4] aCistercianconvent dedicated toMary Magdalene was founded near the village by nuns fromBival under the patronage ofEmpress Matilda. This was later upgraded to anabbey in 1629. The abbess was a friend of the king's mistress,Madame de Maintenon, who often contributed to the beautification of the church. By 1740, there was only one monk left at the monastery and after the Revolution it became the present-day church.
The castle and village were looted and burned by the English and the Burgundians in 1450 and again byHenry IV of France in 1592. That same year, the Spanish ravaged the manor of Quesnay.
In the 14th century, the town was famous for itsdrapers,blacksmiths,potters andcutlery.Glassmaking started here in 1450 at the hamlet of Bully and was active until 1807. Thetanneries were well-known up until the 19th century.
TheMontérolier-Buchy–Saint-Saëns railway, connecting the town withGare de Montérolier-Buchy, was opened in 1900 and closed in 1953.[5]
| The arms of Saint-Saëns are blazoned : Argent, six torteaux gules 3, 2, 1 |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 2,463 | — |
| 1975 | 2,426 | −0.22% |
| 1982 | 2,339 | −0.52% |
| 1990 | 2,138 | −1.12% |
| 1999 | 2,553 | +1.99% |
| 2007 | 2,524 | −0.14% |
| 2012 | 2,534 | +0.08% |
| 2017 | 2,391 | −1.16% |
| Source: INSEE[6] | ||
