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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Saint-Pierre-de-Semilly was built in 1569 by Georges de Mathan, governor of Saint-Lô, and his wife Claude des Asses. It replaces an ancient 11th century castle, razed after the Hundred Years War, whose ruins remained nearby. This first building was probably erected by Jean de Semilly, witness in 1096 of a charter of Odon, bishop of Bayeux and half brother of William II of Normandy. The site is mentioned in royal charters of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, including those of Henri I Beauclerc, Henri II Plantagenet and Richard Cœur de Lion.

In 1330 the seigneury of Saint-Pierre-de-Semilly passed to the family of Mathan by the marriage of Jeanne de Parfouru, heir to Richard de Parfouru, with John III de Mathan. This family still owns it today. The present Renaissance castle was renovated in 1766 and restored after the damage of World War II. Its architecture includes a rectangular two-storey house, an octagonal tower, and an arched entrance pavilion, all surrounded by commons and a wall of enclosure housing orchards and terraces.

Ranked a historic monument since 1944, the castle is distinguished by its slate roof and its imposing fireplaces. The court of honor, closed by communes in return, organizes around a staircase leading to a balustrade terrace. Although private property not open to the public, it bears witness to Norman history, mixing medieval heritage and Renaissance elegance. Its location near Saint Peter's Church and Saint-Lô makes it a landmark of local heritage.

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