Chateaux of Normandy
Château du Bourg-Saint-Léonard
Château du Bourg-Saint-Léonard is a sumptuous building from the end of the 18th century, surrounded by stables, an orangery and a 400 ha park. The interior is decorated with beautiful furniture, Aubusson tapestries, woodwork from the 18th century and restored stairwell.Château du Repas
The current Château du Repas was built to the site of older castle in the early 17th century, probably between 1605-1615. The U-shaped building was surrounded by a moat.Château de Vimer
Château de Vimer was built in the early 1700s by Nollet de Malvoüe. It consists of main building and park built in 1840. During the Invasion of Normandy in 1944 the château was a field hospital.Château du Buisson de May
In the Middle ages, the land of today Château du Buisson de May belonged probably to the family de May. The oldest written document dates back to XVth century, when Jean de Brucourt, responsible for the famous Chatelet of Paris, sold the estate of Osmoy Michel de Bordeaux. The family de Bordeaux kept the Buisson de May over the centuries, selling wood, letting out land, farm and houses, as they were aldermen in Vern ...Château de Montaure
Château de Montaure was built in the early 1700s to the site of feudal castle from the 9th century. The current castle represents the Louis XV style. There are occasional events in the castle area.Château du Plessis-Bouquelon
Château du Plessis-Bouquelon was built first in the 16th century and enlarged during the 18th and 19th centuries. The oldest mention of the castle dates from 1464. The chapel was built in 1844.Château de Saint-Gervais
The first record of Château de Saint-Gervais dates back to the year 1198. In 1651 Jean de Carrey, Advisor to the King in his finance chamber, acquires the titles of Lord of Saint Gervais. The destruction of the original chateau occured at the time of the Revolution (1794). In 1837 the land and property at Saint Gervais was acquired by Michel Pierre Alexis Hebert, barrister in the High Court subsequent Garde des Scea ...Château de Bailleul
Château de Bailleul was built by Bertrand de Bailleul, powerful nobleman, who acquired the land in 1534. The castle was probably completed between 1550-1560. It was strongly modified in the late 1700s and the major restoration was made in 1870-1890. It has never been sold and is still in possession of Bailleul family.Château de Filières
In 1467 Jehan de Fillières bought the current Château de Filières estate and built a new building to the site of castle destroyed in Hundred Years" War. This was burnt down in 1591 during the Wars of Religion. The next castle was built in Henry IV style around 1599. Louise-Catherine Chardon de Filières rebuilt the castle again in 1767-1768.Château du Vaudroc
Château du Vaudroc was built to the site of Benedictine Priory from 1746. The park is open to the public couple of times annually.Manoir du Clap
Manoir du Clap is an od mansion located in the village of 'La cerlangue', in Normandy. It was built in the late 1590"s, during the reign of Henri IVth of France. In medieval times, the village was a part of Tancarville"s Baronny (which became a county under the domination of Jean II de Melun). At the end of the XVIth century, the place now called 'le Clap', not far from the village, became ec ...Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings
Historic Site of the week
Kisimul Castle
Dating from the 15th century, Kisimul is the only significant surviving medieval castle in the Outer Hebrides. It was the residence of the chief of the Macneils of Barra, who claimed descent from the legendary Niall of the Nine Hostages. Tradition tells of the Macneils settling in Barra in the 11th century, but it was only in 1427 that Gilleonan Macneil comes on record as the first lord. He probably built the castle that dominates the rocky islet, and in its shadow a crew house for his personal galley and crew. The sea coursed through Macneil veins, and a descendant, Ruari ‘the Turbulent’, was arrested for piracy of an English ship during King James VI’s reign in the later 16th century.
Heavy debts eventually forced the Macneil chiefs to sell Barra in 1838. However, a descendant, Robert Lister Macneil, the 45th Chief, repurchased the estate in 1937, and set about restoring his ancestral seat. It passed into Historic Scotland’s care in 2000.
The castle dates essentially from the 15th century. It takes the form of a three-storey tower house. This formed the residence of the clan chief. An associated curtain wall fringed the small rock on which the castle stood, and enclosed a small courtyard in which there are ancillary buildings. These comprised a feasting hall, a chapel, a tanist’s house and a watchman’s house. Most were restored in the 20th century, the tanist’s house serving as the family home of the Macneils. A well near the postern gate is fed with fresh water from an underground seam. Outside the curtain wall, beside the original landing-place, are the foundations of the crew house, where the sailors manning their chief’s galley had their quarters.