The Priory of Le Plessis-Grimoult () is a former Augustinian monastery established in the 12th century in Le Plessis-Grimoult in the department of Calvados, Normandy, France. The ruins were listed as a monument historique (national heritage site) in 1928, and the nearby archaeological site and the remains of the fortified garden in 1996.

History Establishment In 1047, the local baron, Grimoult du Plessis, was executed for an attempted coup against William the Bastard (later William the Conqueror), the Duke of Normandy, and his lands were given to the duke's half brother, Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux, to become part of his diocese.Élisabeth Zadora-Rio: Enceinte fortifiée du Plessis-Grimoult In 1131, the local church was dedicated to Saint Stephen.

Around 1135, William's former chaplain, Richard Samson, better known as Richard of Dover, was the local priest. He brought a community of canons regular to Le Plessis-Grimoult and in so doing became the first prior there. The canons lived in Samson's own presbytery at that time. In 1153, under Richard's successor, the canons moved to Champ Osburt. Under Prior Henri I, the canons moved again to the château de Vire. The church building and priory in its current location were built in the late 13th century under the direction of Prior Guillaume Causson, Henri I's successor. Only the priory's gate remains standing today.

Under Bossuet Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet became the tutor to the Grand Dauphin in 1671. The time his new position required him to spend at court meant he could no longer serve as Bishop of Condom. Because of this, he lost access to all the monetary benefits he was entitled to as bishop and could not afford to live the lavish lifestyle that came with living at court. To compensate his son's tutor, Louis XIV appointed him to be the prior of Le Plessis-Grimoult. This provided Bossuet with a steady income, without requiring too much of his time.

During his time as prior, he had a dispute with Julian de Saint-Germain, the priest of Maisoncelles-la-Jourdan, over the collection of tithes. There was a trial on 18 August 1677, which found that Saint-Germain had to pay Bossuet an annual sum of 230 livres in exchange for Bossuet giving up his right to collect tithes in Maisoncelles.Gaston, Jean (1912), "Une transaction entre Bossuet et le curé de Maisoncelles-La-Jourdan", Revue d'Histoire de L'église de France (in French), 14: 174–177

Priors The priory had 35 priors from its foundation to the nationalization of church property during the French Revolution. No.NameYears in officeNotes 1 Richard Samson ~1135-1153 founder 2 Nicholas Coquin (Nicholas I) 1153-1190 moved priory to Champ Osburt 3 Étienne I1193-unknown 4 Radulphe unknown-1210 distant relative of Baron Grimoult 5 Guillame I 1210-1234 6 Pierre de la Barre (Pierre I) 1234-1250 7 Henri 1250-unknown moved priory to the château de Vire 8 Guillaume Causson (Guillaume II) Unknown-1290 built the church and the priory gate (which still stands today) 9 Richard le Moine (the monk) 1290-1314 10 Guillaume Pinçon (Guillaume III) 1314-1340 11 Guillaume de Canteil (Guillaume IV) 1340-1369 reduced the number of canons from 56 to 45 12 Jean Maufras (Jean I) 1370-1398 13 Pierre de Missy (Pierre II) 1398-1400 14 Matthieu de Chaumoncel 1400-1412 15 Guillaume de l'Orme (Guillaume V) 1412-1433 16 Jean Marivint or Marvint (Jean II) 1433-1457 buried in the church 17 Pierre de Missy (Pierre III) 1470-1477 18 Bertin Marvint 1477-1480 nephew of Jean Marvint 19 Gabriel le Veneur 1480-1523 20 Nicholas de Saint-Germain (Nicholas II) 1523-1543 21 Guillaume de Saint-Germain (Guillaume VI) 1543-1582 nephew of the previous prior; during his time in office Calvinists burned down most of the priory 22 Robert Maunoury 1582 23 Francois de Lusignan 1582-1592 24 Louis Cochu 1592-1604 25 Jean le Bel, or le Bel de Nantes 1605-unknown 26 François de Montmorency (Francois II) 1612-1618 beheaded in 1627 because he broke the law against duelling 27 Louis de Montmorency (Louis II) 1618 brother of the previous prior 28 Étienne le Berger (Étienne II) 1618-1625 29 Georges du Fay 1625-1651 30 Jaques de Matignon 1652-1670 31 Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet 1671-1704 tutor to the eldest son of Louis XIV 32 Marie-Joseph d'Hostung 1704-1706 33 Léonor Goyon de Matignon 1706-1757 cousin of Jacques I, Prince of Monaco 34 M. Lemercier 1757-1787 35 Louis-François de Berton du Prat 1787-1789 last prior of Le Plessis-Grimoult

Architecture

In 1830 the building consisted of a transept terminating in an apse. There were several columns with capitals which dated back to the 13th century. The choir was older than the tower. The roof was non-existent by 1830, having most likely been made of wood. The western wall of the cloister was still standing. Two doors open onto the gallery of the cloister. The capitals of the columns are from the end of the 14th or the 15th century. In the other rooms on the ground floor, the octagonal columns have capitals that are perhaps from the 14th century. There is a beautiful fireplace in a room that is believed to be the kitchen. Gardens and ponds are farther to the east. To the west of the outer courtyard of the priory, there is a doorway that dates to about the 13th or 14th century.Arcisse de Caumont, Statistique monumentale du Calvados, vol. 3: Arrondissements de Vire et de Bayeux, Caen, Hardel, 1857, p.223 (online version)

Parishes served The priory served the parishes of Le Plessis-Grimoult, Roullours, Carville, Chênedollé, Truttemer-le-Grand, Montsecret, Sainte-Honorine-la-Chardonne, Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, Campandré, Montchauvet, Frênes, Saint-Vigor-des-Mézerets, Périgny, Cauville, Proussy, Bernières-le-Patry, Maisoncelles-la-Jourdan, Estry, Saint-Christophe-de-Chaulieu, Beauchêne, Clairefougère, Saint-Cornier-des-Landes, Saint-Jean-des-Bois, Saint-Quentin-les-Chardonnets, Yvrandes, Bonnemaison, Courvaudon, Feuguerolles-Bully, Fontaine-Étoupefour, Rosel, La Cambe, Osmanville, Mondrainville, Noyers-Bocage, Planquery, Saint-Germain-d'Elle, Bretteville-le-Rabet, Campeaux and Colombelles.

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