Construction of the mansion 4e quart XVe siècle (≈ 1587)
House built after 1496.
1743-1744
Major renovations
Major renovations 1743-1744 (≈ 1744)
Brick cover and façade modification.
1841
Municipal connection
Municipal connection 1841 (≈ 1841)
La Motte-en-Auge integrated in Saint-Pierre-des-Ifs.
années 1990
Disappearance from press
Disappearance from press années 1990 (≈ 1990)
Seventeenth century pressure station destroyed.
6 décembre 2004
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 6 décembre 2004 (≈ 2004)
Protection of the home and the land base.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The manor house, house and former seigneurial barn in its entirety, the land base of the manor house, the quadrilateral formed to the south by the boundary of Parcels 71 and 58, to the east by the boundary of Parcel 58 and its extension over a length of 80 meters to the north, the return of square east to the northeast corner of Parcel 48 (Box ZB 21, 42, 44, 58, 71, 72): inscription by order of 6 December 2004
Key figures
Famille Bréard - Lords of the Motte
Possessors in the 17th century, non-resident.
Abbaye de Sainte-Barbe-en-Auge - Former owner
Holder of the seigneury in the 12th century.
Origin and history
The Manor House of La Motte, located in Saint-Mards-de-Fresne (Eure, Normandy), dates from the 4th quarter of the 15th century. It is a strong house characteristic of the late Middle Ages, combining residential, agricultural and defensive functions. The main house, facing east-west, has a wood-pan structure with corbellation, grate half-timbering, and a two-paned roof covered with flat tiles. Two round towers at angles, partially abrased, and cannons with double brazing in the lower parts testify to its defensive origin. Inside, the back-to-back fireplaces and screw staircases confirm a simple two-room accommodation organization per level, typical of the time.
The mansion was originally integrated into a rectangular complex with two houses facing each other, separated by a central courtyard. The southern part disappeared before the 18th century, leaving only the north house, rebuilt in 1743-1744 (brick cover, south facade in wood panel). A quartet square tower housed a screw staircase serving a gallery, later transformed into a corridor. The outbuildings (grange, stable, stable) retained their original character, although the 17th century press disappeared in the 1990s.
Historically, the seigneury of La Motte belonged to the abbey of Sainte-Barbe-en-Auge in the 12th century, before moving on to the Bréard family in the 17th century, although these lords probably never lived there. The manor house, seigneurial possession and farm, shares architectural similarities with that of Saint-Gilles-de-Livet (same period), notably due to its carved motifs and its corbellation structure. Ranked Historic Monument in 2004, it illustrates the evolution of Norman fortresses between the Middle Ages and the modern era.
The site, originally castral (XI-XII century), was rebuilt after 1496 in limestone and brick. The defensive elements (cannons, towers) reflect the tensions of the late 15th century, while the 18th and 20th centuries (central wooden staircase, restorations) mark its adaptation to agricultural and residential uses. Today, the manor house, its home and its land base are protected, offering a rare testimony of the auger seigneurial architecture.
