Vernon is a very ancient town attested by prehistorical, Celtic, Gallo-Roman and Merovingian remains. It became like Gisors an important military town after the foundation of the Duchy of Normandy. Richard de Reviers, Captain of Vernon, took part in the battle of Hastings in 1066 and settled down in England. Vernon played a political and military part during the long rivalry between the Capetians and Plantagenets. It was attached to the French kingdom by Philippe Auguste in 1196, even before the rest of Normandy (1204). Philippe Auguste had the castle of Vernon built, the Keep and a tower still remain. Saint-Louis often came to Vernon where he used to meet his friend Eudes Rigaud, archbishop of Rouen. He founded the Hotel-Dieu (the present Saint-Louis Hospital) and endowed it richly, as precious charters testify. In the 18th century, Vernon, like Gisors, les Andelys, Lyons-la-Forêt was transfered by Louis XV to the Count of Belle-Isle in exchange for the island of Belle-Isle-en-Mer. After his death, his properties passed back to the crown, then they were granted to the Duke of Bourbon-Penthièvre, grandson of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan, and grand-father of Louis-Philippe. Vernon keeps the memory of the heroic battles fought in 1870 by the mobile troops of Ardeche. The town was partially destroyed in 1940 but it rose from its ruins. It is presently the second town in the departement.