ALENCON  , a

town of north-western France, capital, of the department of Orne, 36 m . N. of Le Mans. on a branch line of the Western railway . Pop (1906) 14,378 . Alencon, a clean, regularly built town with broad handsome streets, is situated in a wide and fertile plain, on the Sarthe at its confluence with the Briante . The only remains of the ancient castle of Alencon are two towers of the 15th century, which serve as a prison, and a third of the 14th century known as the Tour Couronnee, to yvhich they are united . Notre-Dame, the chief church, dates from the 15th century . It is remarkable for a porch ornamented in the richest Gothic style, and for its stained windows of the 16th century . Alencon has a large circular corn-market and a cloth-market . The manufacture of the point d'Alengon lace has greatly diminished . The weaving and bleaching of cloth, which is of less importance than formerly, the manufacture of vehicles, and tanning are carried on; there is a large trade in the horses of the district, and granite is worked in the neighbourhood . Alencon is the seat of a prefect and a court of assizes . It has tribunals of first instance and of commerce, a board of trade-arbitrators, a lycee, training-colleges and ' a chamber of arts and manufactures .