Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Keryar Manor House, located in Plonévez-Porzay in Finistère, is a 16th-century building whose late Gothic style is illustrated by the date of 1545 engraved on its well. This well, contemporary of construction, and the marks of taskron attest to this period. The mansion, built in large stone and granite apparatus, consists of two bodies of perpendicular buildings, with a remarkable stone screw staircase. Its earlier elevation, now partially altered by a pierced door around 1930, has a refined Gothic decor, including pilasters, archvolt hooked and bee nested pinnacles, typical of the Louis XII style.

Originally, the manor's cover was in thatch, as attested to in 1817, before being replaced by slate at the end of the 19th century. The facades, roofs and interior decorations, including the monumental granite fireplaces, were protected by an inscription to the Historic Monuments in 1988. The building also retains traces of its defensive use, such as fire mouths visible on the left side elevation. Despite modern changes, such as the piercing of a door in the 20th century, the mansion remains a significant architectural testimony of the first half of the 16th century in Brittany.

The Keryar mansion embodies Breton Renaissance seigneurial architecture, combining robustness and Gothic elegance. Its massed volume, the quality of its construction and the richness of its decorations make it a rare example of a manor house of that time in the region. Although later modifications have altered certain aspects, they do not appear to have compromised the overall historical integrity of the building. The well dated 1545 and the task marks reinforce its heritage interest, providing an overview of the techniques and know-how of the artisans of the time.

External links