Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Henencourt Castle was built in the 17th century by the Lameth family after the Spanish invasions. This brick and stone monument, inspired by Palladian villas, consists of a central body flanked by wings, with an ionic peristyle and a French park. Its nickname "petit Versailles picard" reflects its architectural ambition, blending classicism and Baroque ornaments like the balustrades acquired in the 19th century during the dismantling of the castle of Heilly.

During the First World War, the castle served as headquarters for William Birdwood, commander of Australian and New Zealand troops (ANZAC). Damaged by the explosion of a British bomb in 1916, followed by a fire, he lost part of his structure. After the war, only the east wing, the central body and the ruins of the west wing survived. The interior decorations, looted during the Second World War during its transformation into a German hospital, have completely disappeared.

Ranked a historic monument in 1984, the estate also includes an 18th-century dovecote, the work of the Amienese sculptor Jean-Baptiste Carpentier, and the remains of a park with missing amenities (bassins, charmilles). The entrance gate, made by ironmaker Jean Veyren, illustrates the 18th century local craftsmanship. Still owned by the Lameth, the castle bears witness to the aristocratic fascists and the ravages of modern conflicts.

The architecture of the castle reveals two major phases: the initial construction in the 17th century, then reshuffles in the 18th century, with the addition of a circular forebody on the park side and a peristyle on the courtyard side. These changes, attributed to a close friend of Pierre Contant d'Ivry, reflect the influence of neoclassicism. The carved woodwork and the star park, now erased, completed this ensemble, symbol of the seigneurial power in Picardia.

Historical sources, such as the works of Hector Josse or Josiane Sartre, highlight his role in local history and his connection with the Lameth brothers, figures of the French Revolution. The current, though fragmentary, remains offer an overview of its glorious past, between architectural resilience and memory of the wars that marked the Somme.

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