34 
CAEN. 
(Wirth Lantern Views). 
By Mr. H. ROE KERR. 15th March, 1904. 
Mr. W. L. Grant, the President, was in the chair, and in 
introducing the Lecturer, recognised the intimate relations which 
existed between the staff of the Grammar School and the 
Literary and Scientific Club. 
The Lecturer who had a large number of views of Caen 
and its environs, said: Few towns perhaps are as rich as Caen 
in noble souvenirs, and, as someone has said, sum up better the 
national and religious past of France. Architecture, science, 
literature, war—religious and political alike—in all these it has 
had its full share. A town of somewhat obscure origin, 
having been ascribed variously to the Romans, Pheenicians, it 
has always stood and still stands the true capital of Normandy 
and all that is Norman. As far as can be gathered it owes its 
foundation to the Saxons at the period of their frequent raids 
into Normandy in the Third and Fourth Centuries. 
It first sprang into importance by William II. of Normandy, 
making it the town of his choice on account of its central 
position and its proximity to his desirée, England. It was there 
that in 1601, the Council for the establishment of the ‘‘ Tréve de 
Dieu” or ‘‘ Sainte Paix” was held with a view to diminishing 
the evils caused by the feudal quarrels. 
It was in the year of the Conquest, 1066, that William and 
Matilda founded the two famous churches, popularly known as 
Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbaye aux Dames, They were 
built by command of the Pope to repair the fault they had been 
guilty of in their marriage, in spite of their close relationship. 
Caen met with but poor treatment at the hands of Robert, and 
right on till the accession of Henry II. the years which followed 
were marked by civil war, anarchy and confusion. ‘The reign 
of Henry II. was a period of peace and prosperity, which was 
subsequently followed by adversity and misrule under his son 
John. So similar were the tactics of John to those he indulged 
in in England, that it is not to be wondered at that the town 
