Construction of the portal 1560-1585 (≈ 1573)
Attributed to Jean Le Taillter.
1602-1616
Gallery layouts
Gallery layouts 1602-1616 (≈ 1609)
Dendrochronological dating of beams.
2e moitié XVIe siècle
Initial construction
Initial construction 2e moitié XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Period of construction of the mansion.
1976
Abandonment of the mansion
Abandonment of the mansion 1976 (≈ 1976)
Departure of the last occupants.
18 mars 1991
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 18 mars 1991 (≈ 1991)
House protection and outbuildings.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Manor, dovecote, remains of the chapel, plots corresponding to the pond and the garden (C 885, 891 to 894, 924): inscription by order of 18 March 1991
Key figures
Jean Le Taillanter - Suspected architect
Probable author of the monumental portal.
Guillaume de la Lande - Lord of Guernachanay
Owner in the 16th century, married to Anne de Lesmais.
Christophe-Paul de Robien - Last notable lord
Acquire seigneury in the 18th century.
Yves du Cosquer - Lord and sponsor
Owner in 1582 with Julienne Loz.
Constance de la Lande - Lady of Guernac'hanay
Heir transmitting the mansion to the Cosquer.
Origin and history
Guernac'hanay Manor House, located in Plouaret in the Côtes-d'Armor, is a seigneurial residence built in the second half of the 16th century. It embodies the typical civil architecture of the Trégor at that time, combining residential and agricultural functions. The site, surrounded by ditches and equipped with a monumental portal adorned with dacauguettes, reflects the social status of its successive owners, noble Breton families such as Guernachanay, Coëtmohan or Le Goalès. Its portal, attributed to architect Jean Le Taillter (active between 1566 and 1585), is distinguished by its canned columns and carved frontons, characteristic of the Breton Renaissance style.
The mansion, which has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1991, includes a main house in square with a bastion tower, an arcade gallery, and commons organized around a closed courtyard. Originally, it was associated with a dovecote and a mill, symbols of the seigneury. The coat of arms hammered on the barn and the axial lucarne evoke the marriage alliances of the property families, such as that of the La Lande and Lesmais around 1535-1550. The manor house, which was occupied until 1976 by families of ploughers, has since been abandoned, although its defensive elements (openings of fire, ditches) and decorative elements (lucarnes, eardrums) still bear witness to its past prestige.
The seigneury of Guernac'hanay has changed hands throughout the centuries, passing from Guernac'hanay (sand blanson to silver swan) to Coëtmohan in the 14th century, then Keranrais, Le Goalès, and La Lande. In the 17th century, it was acquired by Christophe-Paul de Robien, a family that kept it until the Revolution. The portal, dated from the years 1560-1585, is attributed to Jean Le Tailler, architect known for his work in the Trégor (clochers de Loguivy-Plougras, Ploubezre). A dendrochronological analysis would place the arcade gallery between 1602 and 1616, suggesting post-construction developments.
The communes, perpendicular to the house, housed a noble house, a farmhouse and an attic accessible by a ramp staircase. The square tower, serving as a bastion, combined defensive functions (fire openings) and utility (columbing at the top). The manor house, an archetype of the sixteen noble houses identified at Plouaret in 1861, illustrates the spatial organization of the Breton seigneuries: residence, farm, and symbols of power (adorned gate, ditches). Its abandonment in 1976 contrasts with its historic role as an economic and social centre for local labourers.
The chapel, now gone, and the adjacent pond completed this seigneurial ensemble. The obliterated coat of arms on the barn recall religious or political conflicts that may have marked its history. The manor house, although protected, remains vulnerable to degradation, highlighting the challenges of preserving rural monuments. Its inscription in 1991 covers the house, the dovecote, the remains of the chapel, and the plots of the garden and pond, attesting to its heritage value.
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