Saint-Ouen is the only place of worship in Pont-Audemer to have survived until mid-twentieth century. The city used to be an important religious centre, seat of an archdeacon, and shared between the dioceses of Lisieux and Rouen. It had a castle in the 11th century, fortifications in the 12th century and a municipal charter in the 13th century. Various longings and rivalries brought suffering and violence upon the town during the Hundred Years War and religious wars.