ards, with the consent of the Roman
emperors, established themselves in various parts of the country. This
opinion, in the judgment of the Abbe De la Rue, receives confirmation
from the circumstance of there being another village called _Allemagne_,
in the vicinity of Valence, where it is known that a body of the same
people was fixed; and it may perhaps be adduced as a still farther proof
of its correctness, that the village of Allemagne, near Caen, formerly
embraced a considerably greater extent of country.

[Illustration: Plate 37. TOWER OF THE CHURCH OF HAUTE ALLEMAGNE NEAR
CAEN.]

Allemagne was one of the domains granted by the Conqueror to his abbey
of St. Stephen; and in the charter, he states that he cedes it "with its
dependencies." The meaning of this latter term is explained in the
subsequent charter from his son Henry, in which four neighboring
villages are expressly said to be _dependent upon Allemagne_. Allemagne
was itself also divided into two parishes, the _upper_ and _lower_.

At present it is only remarkable for its quarries, from which the stones
are dug, known in France by the name of _Carreaux d'Allemagne_, and
commonly used for floors to rooms, not only in the province of Normandy,
but throughout the whole kingdom. There is also a considerable export of
them for the same purpose. It was in these quarries that the fossil
crocodile was discovered in 1817; which, as being extraordinarily
perfect, and the first specimen ever found with scales, has excited an
uncommon degree of interest among naturalists.

Of the history of the parish of Allemagne, nothing is known. The portion
of its church here figured, has been selected for engraving, as an
instance of a Norman tower of unquestionable antiquity, and in the
highest preservation. The pyramidal stone roof, similar to that of the
church of St. Michel de Vaucelles, at Caen, appears to be quite in its
original state. Even the small lucarne window in it looks coeval with
the rest. The row of intersecting arches below is beautiful and
peculiar.

PLATES XXXVIII.--XLI.

CHURCH OF ST. HILDEBERT, AT GOURNAY.

[Illustration: Plate 38. COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF ST. HILDEBERT AT GOURNAY.
_West front._]

The town of Gournay is generally supposed to rival, in point of
antiquity, almost any other in this part of France. Tradition refers its
origin to the days of Julius Caesar, during the latter part of whose
government in Gaul, a dangerous conspi