Sens, Saint-Étienne
SENS

Building Data for Sens, Saint-Étienne

  •  
  • Type: Cathedral
  • Affiliation:
  •  
  • Region: Bourgogne
  • Department: Yonne
  • Coords: 48.198, 3.2841
  •  
  • Surveyed: 1972-74, 1980-83, 2003, 2015

Map

Virtual Tour

Studies These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.
X

These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database.

Documents for Sens, Saint-Étienne

1125 or later



Work begun

PRO ECCLESIA MAIORI SANCTI STEPHANI, QUAM BONUS HENRICUS INCEPERAT MULTUM LABORAVIT ET FERE PERFECIT. DE QUERCU FIRMISSIMO STALLOS IN CHORO FIERI PROCURAVIT ET FERE PERFECIT; ORMANENTA MULTA MAIORI ECCLESIE DEDIT,...

For the church of Saint-Etienne, for which the good Henri began and has nearly completed the work. Of the solid oak stalls of the choir which which he has managed to make and are nearly completed; he has given many ornaments to the church,...

Source: Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, MS Latin 5002, fol. 114.

1144



Stalls nearing completion

AB ANNO INCARNATIONE DOMINI MILLESIMO CENTISIMO QUADRAGESIMO QUARTO, DOMINUS HUGO EFFICITUR;...PRO ECCLESIA MAJORI S. STEPHANI, QUAM BONUS HENRICUS INCEPERAT, MULTUM LABORAVIT ET FERE PERFECIT. DE QUEREN FIRMISSIMO STALLOS IN CHORO FIERI PROCURAVIT ET FERE PERFECIT; ORNAMENTA MULTA MAIORI ECCLESIE DEDIT, ET RELIQUAS CORAM CANONICIS VISITAVIT, ET HONESTAE COLLOCAVIT.

In the year of the Incarnation 1144, Lord Hugo had done...numerous works at the church of Saint-Etienne were begun by good Henri which have nearly been completed. He made possible solid oak stalls in the choir which are nearly finished. He gave numerous ornaments to the church; and in the presence of the canons he visited the relics, and gave them an honorable place.

Source: Chronicle of Geoffry de Courlon, Gustave Julliot, Chronique de l'abbaye de Saint-Pierre-le-Vif, rédigée vers la fin du XIIIe siècle, Sens, 1876, 476.

1164, April 19



Consecration by Pope Alexander III

...CONSECRAVIT IN NOVA MAJORI ECCLESIA ALTARE.

...consecrated this altar in the new church.

Source: Chronicle of Geoffry de Courlon, 484.

1164, April 19



Consecration by Pope Alexander III

...IN SEQUENTI ANNO A PREFATO HUGONE ARCHIEPISCOPO ET CLERICUS EJUSDEM ECCLESIE ROGATUS, CONSECRAVIT EIS ALTARE IN HONORE BEATORUM APOSTOLORUM PETRI ET PAULI IN ECCLESIA NOVA, XIII KALENDAS MAII,...

...the following year, at the request of archbishop Hugh and the clerics of the church, he consecrated for them this altar in honor of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul in the new church the 19th of April,...

Source: Bautier, Robert-Henri and Monique Gilles, eds., Chronique de Saint-Pierre-le-Vif de Sens dite de Clarius, Paris, 1979, 206.

The entry bears a date of 1163 but then refers to "the following year".

1165



Bull of Alexander III offers indulgences for the construction 6 April.

...EJUSDEM ECCLESIE QUE DE NOVO CONSTRUITUR, ET EX MAIORE PARTE SUI ADHUC IMPERFECTA EXISTIT NECESSITATEM ATTENDENTES PRESCRIPTUM ALTARE IBIDEM, IN OCTAVIS PASCE AD HONOREM BEATE MARIE CONSECRAVIMUS, ...AD OPERIS CONSUMMATIONEM ALIQUID DE HELEOSINIS SUIS CONTULERINT, VIGINTI DIES DE INIUNCTA SIBI PENITENTIA, ANNIS SINGULIS, RELAXAVIMUS.

...the same church which is being newly built, and for the greater part that remains incomplete and in need of attention for the aforementioned altars that we consecrated in honor of the Virgin during the Easter octave, ...the alms they will have collected for the consummation of these works, the relaxation of twenty days of the penance imposed upon them for a single year.

Source: Henriet, 1982, 88. Cites Archives de l’Yonne, Dépôt de Sens, G 124.

1168



Completion of the church

ECCLESIAM...FERE PERFECIT.

The church...was brought to fruition.

Source: Chartraire, pp. 7-10 and 10, note 1.

This reference pertains to the achievements of Hugues de Toucy, who died in 1168, but it clearly refers to earlier events.

1184



Fire.

ANNO MCLXXXIV. IN VIGILIA B. JOANNIS BAPTISTAE CIVITAS SENONENSIS GRAVI INCENDIO VASTATA FUIT CUM OMNIBUS ECCLESIIS.

1184. On the eve of the feast of Saint John the Baptist, the city of Sens was devastated by fire along with all of the churches.

Source: Achery, Spicilegium, ii, 486. Chronicon S. Petri Vivi Senonensis.

1184



Fire 23 June.

ANNO DOMINI MCLXXXIV CIVITAS SENONENSIS IGNE CREMATA EST CUM ECCLESIA BEATA PROTOMARTYRIS STEPHANI, & MULTI VIRI & FEMINAE COMBUSTAE VIGILIA S. JOHANNIS BAPTISTAE.

In the year of our lord 1184, on the eve of the feast of John the Baptist, the city of Sens burned along with the church of the protomartyr Stephen and many men and women.

Source: Martene, Thesaurus, iii, col. 1385. Breve Chronicon Autissiodorense.

Coloration on the ambulatory wall shows where the building was touched.

1184



Fire

TOTA POENE URBS SENONIS ET MATER ECCLESIA GRAVI EST AD MODUM ET STUPENDA CONFLAGRATIONE DETRITA.

All of the town of Sens and the mother church was greatly and in every way weakened by fire.

Source: MGH, xxvi, pp. 247-248. Roberti canonici S. Mariani Autissiodorensis chronicon.

1184, June 23



Fire

ANNO DOMINI MCLXXXIV CIVITAS SENONENSIS IGNE CREMATA EST CUM ECCLESIA BEATA PROTOMARTYRIS STEPHANI, & MULTI VIRI & FEMINAE COMBUSTAE VIGILIA S. JOHANNIS BAPTISTAE.

In the year of our lord 1184, on the eve of the feast of John the Baptist, the city of Sens burned along with the church of the protomartyr Stephen and many men and women.

Source: Breve Chronicon Autissiodonense in Martène, Thesaurus Anecdot. T.iii, col. 1385.

Coloration on the ambulatory wall shows the building was touched.

1200 after



Money for towers

TABULAM ARGENTEAM ET AUREAM ANTE ALTARE SANCTI STEPHANI CONSTRUXIT, PER QUA POSTEA ANTE MAIOREM ECCLESIAM FACTA EST TURRIS MORE ET FAMOSE ALTITUDINIS.

Gold and silver were heaped before the altar of Saint-Etienne, after which towers of great height were made at the front of the church.

Source: Chronicle of Geoffry de Courlon, 368.

1210 or before



Michael chapel dedicated.

Ces tours dataient des dernières années du XIIe siècle. Dans celle du nord (Tour de plomb) le chanoine André Le Roux avait fondé, avant 1210, un autel dédié à Saint-Michel. La chapelle de Saint-Vincent, établie au premier étage de la tour du midi, fut dotée, en 1221, par Pierre de Mantes.

These towers date to the last years of the 12th century. In that of the north (the Lead Tower) the canon André le Roux had founded, before 1210, an altar dedicated to Saint-Michel. The chapel of Saint-Vincent, established on the first floor of the Tour du midi, was funded, in 1221, by Pierre de Mantes.

Source: Chartraire, La cathédrale de Sens, n/d, Paris, 12, note 1, but cites no original source.


1122 or later



Renovations begun.

ANNO MCXXII - OBIIT DAIMBERTUS ARCHIEPISCOPUS, SUCCESSIT HENRICUS. HIC INCEPIT RENOVARE ECCLESIAM SANCTI STEPHANI. EIDEM SUCCESSIT HUGO.

The year 1122 - Archbishop Daimbert died, succeeded by Henri. Here began the renovation of the church of Saint-Etienne. He was succeeded by Hugo.

Source: BN, MS Latin 5002, fol. 114.

From the Clarius chronicle from nearby abbey of Saint Pierre-le-Vif for 1122. However, in a later commentary by Geoffroy de Courlon this is placed between events that are dated 1124 and 1128: Julliot, 1876, 476. See Henriet, 1982, 86-87. Sanglier ruled from 1122-1142.


1144



Henri de Sanglier died.

ANNO AB INCARNATIONE DOMINI M C XL IIII. HOC ANNO MORTUUS EST HENRICUS SENONUM ARCHEPISCOPUS ET VOCES AUDITE SUNT MEDIA NOCTE PRIMUM IN BURGIO SANCTI PETRI, POSTEA IN CIVITATE. HENRICO DEFUNCTO, SUCCESSIT HUGO ARCHIEPISCOPUS.

The year of the Incarnation 1144. This year Henri, archbishop of Sens, died and cries were heard in the middle of the night, first in the bourg of Saint-Pierre, and afterwards in the city. Henri dead, was succeeded by archbishop Hugo.

Source: BN, MS Latin 5002, fol. 114. Also Bautier, 1979, 198. Also Achery, Spicilegium, ii, 485.

Other sources date the death of Henri to 1142. See entry for 1122.


1164 



Consecration.

...IN SEQUENTI ANNO A PREFATO HUGONE ARCHIEPISCOPO ET CLERICUS EJUSDEM ECCLESIE ROGATUS, CONSECRAVIT EIS ALTARE IN HONORE BEATORUM APOSTOLORUM PETRI ET PAULI IN ECCLESIA NOVA, XIII KALENDAS MAII,...

...the following year, at the request of archbishop Hugh and the clerics of the church, he consecrated for them this altar in honor of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul in the new church the 19th of April,...

Source: Bautier, 1979, 206.

The entry bears a date of 1163 but then refers to ‘the following year’.