Author: Pierre

2023 General Assembly

Our General Assembly was held on Saturday 22 April. It was opened by our President Denis ONFROY who, as a preamble, paid tribute to the memory of Jean Pierre WICART, who passed away last March; he was the first treasurer of the Association, and created the Book Fair, organised every year since 2010.

Our President then recalled the close and constructive relationship that has always existed between the Association and the Municipality represented by Chantal DUCOURET, Mayor and member of the Board of Directors.

He welcomed Jean Pierre HUSSON, the departmental delegate of the “Fondation du Patrimoine”, who had come to sign a financing agreement with the Commune of Tocqueville for the current programme of work. His presence confirms the constant support of the “Fondation du Patrimoine” for the preservation and restoration of the church, undertaken by the Commune with the support of our Association created in 2009.

The General Assembly continued with a reminder of the work already carried out for an amount of €260,000 , with the repair of the roof of the church and the bell tower, the restoration of the stained glass windows, the installation of new interior lighting, the restoration of the listed painting “The Sacrifice of Abraham”, the restoration of the high altar with its altarpiece and its large painting “The Resurrection”.
A new programme, dedicated to major sanitation work to combat humidity in the walls and floor of the church, has been estimated at €200,000 . After agreement on the subsidies requested, it should start late 2023 and finish in 2024.

In 2022, the Association, which has about sixty members, organised its traditional events, which will be repeated this year: Book Fair on 14, 15 & 16 July and the discovery walk “In the footsteps of Alexis de Tocqueville” on Saturday 29 July.

In accordance with the statutes, one third of the 12 members of the Board of Directors were renewed. The Board then renewed the bureau: Denis Onfroy, President; Jean Guillaume de Tocqueville, Vice-President; Pierre Anthouard, Secretary; Martine Le Flamanc, Treasurer; Martine Lemoigne, Deputy Treasurer; Jean François Halley and Stéphane Le Flamanc, members.
All this church restoration project cannot be undertaken without aid, in particular from the State, the Department, the Cotentin Agglomeration Community, the “Fondation du Patrimoine” and your donations.

The website dedicated to the Tocqueville church project: www.fondation-patrimoine.org/2244 allows you to make online donations.
You will find on this site the Membership form for 2023; the annual subscription remains 5€. This form also allows you to make a donation directly to the Association.

Chantal Ducouret et Jean-Pierre Husson signent la convention de financement

At the end of the General Assembly, Chantal DUCOURET, mayor of Tocqueville and Jean-Pierre HUSSON, departmental delegate of the “Fondation du Patrimoine”, signed the financing agreement.

On the way to a new stage of work

The municipality of Tocqueville, in partnership with our Association, has the will to continue the restoration and enhancement of the village church.

After several works carried out since 2008, it is envisaged to undertake over the years 2023-2024 a major programme to combat the dampness of the walls and floor.

The repair of the roof and the stained glass windows has made the church of Tocqueville waterproof.

However, the walls remain very damp, especially on the south side (bell tower side), because the building is partially buried at the foot of a hill with numerous springs. This dampness was particularly noticeable when the choir stalls were taken down to redo the plastering.
Rising water is also damaging the floor. This one was modified in the 1950s and consists of a layer of cement about 5 cm thick laid directly on the ground. The water pressure has caused the floor to rise in places. In addition, a cement plaster over a height of about 1 metre, probably made at the same period, locks moisture into the south, west and north walls.

A study, carried out by the architect François Pougheol and which required a number of soundings on the outside and inside of the church, led to the proposal of a new programme of work, valued at €172 110 excluding tax.

This programme can be carried out in two phases :

– exterior sanitation, scheduled for 2023

– overall interior drainage with floor rehabilitation, scheduled for 2024.

To help finance this work, a new agreement to collect donations has been established between the Commune of Tocqueville, the Association and the Fondation du Patrimoine.

Everyone can contribute by making a donation to our Association or on the dedicated website of the Fondation du Patrimoine : www.fondation-patrimoine.org/2244