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history
Conches History Print
history

Conches stands on a rocky outlook over the river Rouloir which surrounds it.
With its forest, ancient houses and ruins, it is the capital town of the Pays d'Ouche.
Conches was a celtic town before being a roman one.
However, the real history starts about 1034 when the seignors of TOSNY (of Rollon 1st, Duke of Normandy's descent) inherited it from the fiefdom called Châtillon at that time. It was the time of great pilgrimages, and the Seignors of Châtillon took part in the most famous of them all, Saint James of Compostella pilgrimage (Spain) in 1067
The fame of the lords of Compostella is the most beautifully illustrated on the coat of arms, which they bestowed to the town : Gold and azure-blue line with three silver shells.
It was on their way back from one of those pilgrimages that they stopped in Conques in Rouergue, where the cult of Sainte Foy, a virgin martyr from Agen in the 4th century, was celebrated.
From there, they brought relics of the Saint to Châtillon, which then took the name of Conches. Consequently, the patron saint of the parish (who as formally Saint Cyprien) became Sainte Foy.

 

As the Seigniors of Tosny were valiant warriors, Raoul II of Tosny was appointed a hereditary banner-bearer by William the Conqueror during the conquest of England