Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Ciphervast estate, located in Tamerville in the English Channel, is a Louis XIII style castle built in the early 17th century (completed in 1618) at the site of an ancient medieval fortress. It replaces two earlier buildings: a first 11th century castle, destroyed in 1354 during a conflict between Nicolas de Ci figurevast and Geoffroy d'Harcourt, and a second built around 1450 by François d'Anneville. The present castle, renovated in the 18th century, retains architectural elements typical of the Côtentinaise school.

The estate is marked by tragic events, such as the execution of its owner, François Henri d'Anneville, guillotined in 1794 during the Revolution. After this period, he passed into the hands of political figures, including Charles-François Lebrun, Duke of Plaisance, before being acquired by Eugène Bretel at the end of the 19th century. The park, recomposed in the 19th century, and the castle facades have been protected as historical monuments since 1993 and 1996.

Architecturally, the castle is distinguished by its central body flanked by four pavilions, its dry moats, and a carved decoration including the coat of arms of the families of Anneville and Poërier. The estate is part of a vast English-speaking park with hydraulic facilities, a cooler and a fountain. Its history reflects the social and political transformations of Normandy, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era.

The Château de Ci figurevast is part of a series of "m monumental" buildings in the region, sharing stylistic similarities with the castles of Sotteville, Crosville and Saint-Martin-le-Hébert. These buildings illustrate the influence of a local architectural school, called "Countinaise", active at the hinge of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The domain, still partially preserved, bears witness to the evolution of the tastes and uses of the Norman aristocracy.

External links