The Great St. Vigor Abbey Founded by the Father of William the Conqueror Receives Land in Normandy in 1228

After the original church Cérisy-La-Forêt was destroyed during the Viking invasions of the 9th century, a charter was issued in 1032 by Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy, to build a new abbey dedicated to Saint Vigor. The abbey church itself dates from the reign of Robert’s son, William the Conqueror and was completed at the end of the 11th century. The church of the Benedictine abbey of Cérisy-La-Forêt in Normandy is still preserved as one of the main monuments of Norman Romanesque architecture. The village Le Hamel is situated south east of Cérisy. Pardiac is situated in the department of Gers in the far south west of France.

Charter, 8 lines of text of formal gothic chancery script in brown ink on parchment, 6 X 2.5 inches. Slits for two lost hanging wax seals. On the back, summary of content “charter of Guillaume de Pardiac and his son Robert on the concession of land in Le Hamel” and 17th c rubric “S Vigor de Cérisy 91.” a somewhat later number “34” and a 19th c date “1228”. The knight Guillaume de Pardiac (1205-1237) and his son Robert donate land in Le Hamel, which he has received from Roger Dreuille, to the Abbot (then perhaps Jean I) and monks of Cérisy.