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THE VILLAGE: At present the village has about 610 residents (1430 residents in 1871) including those living in a fairly recent estate abutting the older part of the village. An historical document mentions one of Averton's residents as early as 1100A.D. under an entry for "B. Miles de Avertona". Shortly after this date the names of members of the D'Avertons were cited in the obituaries of the Haut et Bas-Maine area. In 1140 it was noted that the Averton parish priest, Mathieu, witnessed the gift of Saint-Sulpice-des-Chèvres to the Abbaye de Tiron. In 1302 André D'Averton, after much feuding between two families, acquired feudal rights over the village. (As our house was one of the first to be built in Averton, we believe that it was in existence by this date).
As early as 1577 papermaking was the main industry along the Merdereau.
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The church was pillaged by the Huguenots in 1568. Its altars date from 1677 but there had certainly been an altar, dedicated to Sainte Marie-Madaleine, in 1559
By 1696 the village included 20 smallholdings and many mills. Vincent Vigneron, of Alençon, installed the church clock in 1678; and the bell, weighing 700 lbs., was installed in 1732. In 1789 the parishioners complained that the ground was of such poor quality, containing rocks and heather, that their principal crop was buckwheat.
Averton's first mayor, M. M. Vierray, was appointed in 1791. The village is still very rural and has only one auberge and one hairdresser - no other shops! The baker arrives daily, the butcher once a week. There are public toilets but no other services and no public transport. There are, however, numerous local country walks. |
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