The history of the community is inextricably linked with that of the Abbey which was founded at the beginning of the 11th century by Count Belleme, Lord of Domfront, and given over to the Benedictine order of Fleury-sur-Loire (today known as St Benoit-sur-Loire).

Built on a shrewdly chosen site and surrounded by the Egrenne river, the Abbey at Lonlay has an undeniable spiritual and material influence on the region which spreads as far as England where three of its priories lie including St André de Stocke.
This is now known as Stogursey and is twinned with Lonlay Abbey.

The Abbey witnessed difficult times with fires, pillage and being distanced from the more notable abbots.
At the time of the Revolution there were only three monks left in the Abbey.

Today the Abbey has become the Parish Church.