You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (May 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia.
Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article.
You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing French Wikipedia article at [[:fr:Église Notre-Dame de Calais]]; see its history for attribution.
You may also add the template {{Translated|fr|Église Notre-Dame de Calais}} to the talk page.
The church was damaged during the early wars between France and England, especially in 1346–47, after the Battle of Crécy. Many of the kings and queens of France and England prayed here;[3] and John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners is buried in the church choir.[4]
In 1843 some medieval paintings were discovered under a thick coat of whitewash by Monsieur. C. de Rheims.[8] One comprised a female figure holding in her right hand an orange coloured shield charged with nine bezants d’or; her left hand resting on a spear with banner displayed, and charged as the shield. At her feet was a kneeling figure; in the background a fortified city. Another painting represented the Virgin with the infant Jesus, and a figure, apparently a bishop with episcopal staff, kneeling and invoking her. Each of the frescoes was surrounded with a border on which the motto Le Jour Viendra occurred ten times, alternately separated by a club of gold entwined with branches and flowers, with the arms of the Woodhouse family, one of whom was the embellisher of the church and the originator of the paintings. At the bottom of the former painting was written Orate pro anima Thoms Wodehous.
It was bombarded by Allied Forces on 23 September 1944. It was substantially damaged and the bell tower fell through the roof into the north transept.
A campaign of restoration began in the 1960s.
1963-1973: Reconstruction of the nave and bell tower
1976 onwards: Addition of stained glass windows by Gérard Lardeur
2002-2013: Restoration of the choir and chapel.
Architecture and fittings
The church is large and has a fortress-like appearance. Its layout is in the shape of a Latin cross. There is a large nave with aisles, north and south transepts, a choir with choir-aisles, and a side chapel. A notable feature is the high altar, mostly completed by 1626, which has carvings and bas-relief. A pedestal and a statue are dated 1628, while two other statues were added in 1629, and the balustrades finished in 1648. It was made by Adam Lottman. The painting “the Assumption of the Virgin” is by Gerard Seghers. Among the works of art is a painting once considered by Peter Paul Rubens of the Descent from the Cross.[3]
It is in fact by Pieter Van Mol.
