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Origin and history

The Old Castle of Goderville is a strong house built at the end of the 14th century on a castral motte dating from the 11th or 12th century, surrounded by partially preserved ditches. This site, initially defensive, belonged to Godard lords of the Vaux and Goderville. From 1482 onwards, the Roussel family became the owner of the castle and gradually transformed it, especially in the 16th century, adding Renaissance elements such as enlarged windows and black brick decorations, while preserving feudal symbols (bridge-levis, moats, towers).

The L-shaped structure of the castle embraces the circular shape of the moth, with flint bases to resist the moisture of the moat. Bertrand Roussel, in 1547, placed motifs of grenades and crosses, marking the climax of his metamorphosis as a pleasure home. The Roussel, holders of seigneurial rights (justice, tabelionage), maintained these attributes of power until the 19th century, despite subsequent internal changes.

In the 18th century, Gabriel-Félix de Roussel, Baron of Goderville, sold the estate after a duel, according to oral tradition. During the Revolution, his sons emigrated, and their property was confiscated. Catherine de Roussel recovers the castle from the Restoration, before major works in the 19th century (drying of moat, slate roof, neo-norman decors) partially erase its medieval character. The monument is listed in the Historic Monuments in 1996 for its facades, roofs and the grip of its lower yard.

The history of the castle reflects the architectural and social transitions of Normandy: from a fortress of the Middle Ages to an aristocratic residence, then to a preserved heritage. The ditches, the plan in L and the mixed materials (brick, stone, flint) make it a rare example of continuity between periods, despite successive changes.

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