Heritage classified
The castle; the dovecote; the basin; facades and roofs of the building parallel to the castle (cad. AD 28, 29, 43, 44): Order of 17 September 1964 - The chapel; the facades and roofs of the building of the orangery (cad. AD 24, 28): entry by order of 17 September 1964 - The facades and roofs of the buildings of the farm of the castle (Box AD 27, 43, 44): inscription by order of 29 August 1977 - The castle park, as delimited on the plan annexed to the decree, and comprising: the fence walls; portals and their gates; the avenues; grass beds; fruit and vegetable gardens and their walls; the hydraulic system including the river, canals and bridges; Loup jumps; moats and their bridges; the pond and its island; the mill bay with its valves; the facades and roofs of the mill, the house of the bridge, and the cartettery (see box). BC 114, 115; YA 126, 131 to 136, 140 to 146, 148 to 166, 169, 170, 174, 175; YP 26, 27): registration by order of 22 May 2002
Key figures
| Robert d'O - Ancestor of O's family |
Companion of Robert I of Normandy in 1035. |
| Robert VII d'O - Lord and builder |
Initiator of the castle, died in Azincourt. |
| Jean Ier d'O - Chambellan of Charles VIII |
Continues the work of the castle. |
| Jean II d'O - Grand Sénéchal of Normandy |
Captain of Henry II Guards. |
| François d'O - Cute of Henry III |
Renovations in the 16th century. |
| Alexandre de La Guesle - First Marquis of O |
Named by Louis XIII in 1616. |
Origin and history
The castle of O, located in Mortrée in Orne, is a house built at the end of the 15th century, then remodeled in the 16th and 18th centuries. It stands on an island formed by the waters of the Thouanne, 1 km northeast of the commune. This castle, partially classified as a historical monument since 1964, succeeds an ancient medieval fortress of the eleventh century, the cradle of an illustrious Norman family, including Robert d'O, a companion of Robert I of Normandy in 1035 during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The construction of the present castle was initiated by Robert VII of O, killed at Azincourt in 1415, then continued by his descendants, including John I of O, chamberlain of Charles VIII, and John II of O, captain of the Guards of the Corps of Henry II and Grand Sénéchal of Normandy. In the 16th century, François d'O, cute d'Henri III, embellished the castle before leading it to bankruptcy because of its excessive expenses. In 1616, the land was erected as a marquisate for Alexandre de La Guesle, then bought in 1648 by Pierre de Montagu. After several changes of owners, including the Rocques family in 1795, the estate was sold and dismembered in 1878.
The castle, partly built on stilts, features architecture combining Gothic and Renaissance styles. Its main entrance, located in the east wing, retains a gothic look, while the west wing, framed by pepper towers, opens widely through windows. The inner courtyard, surrounded by a carved arcade gallery and a polygonal turret, houses a walker dating back to the first Renaissance. The estate also includes an orangery, a 19th century chapel, and a park with gardens, a complex hydraulic system (river, canals, pond) and a mill.
Ranked a historic monument in 1964 for its main elements (castle, dovecote, basin), the site was restored from 1973 by Jacques and Yolande de Lacretelle. The protections also extend to the park, farm buildings, and the hydraulic system, registered in 2002. The castle thus illustrates the architectural and social evolution of a Norman seigneury, from medieval wars to the Renaissance.
The gardens, organized in grass beds, vegetable garden and orchard, are surrounded by walls, while the park, surrounded by fenced walls and covered with driveways, incorporates remarkable hydraulic elements. The mill, with its bay and valves, bears witness to the technical ingenuity of the time. Today, the castle of O remains a preserved example of Norman heritage, combining history, architecture and nature.
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