The roof-ridge finial of the Église Saint-Pierre is a terracotta work made around 1828 from Néhou clay. Different construction and furnishing phases sit side by side in the church. The choir can be dated stylistically to the late 13th or early 14th century; the bell tower is considered a later addition and was probably built no earlier than the mid-16th century. The architecture, sculpture and furnishings thus span several centuries, and the church cannot be reduced to a single construction phase.
Church sculptures and furnishings
A stone group sculpture of Saint Mathurin dates from the early 15th century. Carved from limestone, it depicts the saint between two smaller figures. A painted wooden figure of Mary Magdalene is dated to the second half of the 15th century. Comparing the two makes the time span within the century tangible: the Mathurin group belongs to its early phase, while Mary Magdalene belongs to its later phase. The bell tower also contains a funerary inscription for Georges Marion, who died in 1618. The year marks his death, not the construction date of the tower.
The main altar furnishings also date to the 19th century. The altarpiece is said to have been delivered in 1830; it contains a painting of the Last Supper signed by Blanchard and dated 1834. The two dates refer to different things: the presumed delivery of the altarpiece and the signed, dated painting. In the northwest corner of the nave stands a confessional from the first half of the 19th century, listed as protected movable cultural property. Alongside the medieval sculptures, you will also find furnishings from a later period here.
Historic routes through Biniville
Historic routes also give the village a sense of time and place. The medieval route “carrière Bertran” ran through Biniville and connected the Baie des Veys near Brucheville with the Château de Bricquebec; it also led to the east coast of the Cotentin. The D.2 follows the route of a former Roman road, straightened in the 18th century, which connected Alauna near Valognes with Portbail. The historic routes through Biniville also crossed the former “chemin de Néhou à Montebourg.” These routes represent different kinds of connections: a link between named places, a straightened road and a crossroads.
Land use in 2018
Land use offers another perspective: in 2018, it was entirely agricultural in Biniville. Arable land accounted for 50.2 percent and meadows for 49.8 percent—a difference of just 0.4 percentage points. The nearly equal division between the two land uses adds a rural dimension to the history of the church and its routes.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Pellerin, Vains, Virandeville, Sainte-Croix-Hague, Saint-Pierre-Eglise, Sainte-Mère-Église, Le Hommet-d'Arthenay, Tanis
See the regional travel guide: Manche.
