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Origin and history

The castle of Bailleul in Condé-sur-l'Escaut is a composite building, whose medieval body dates back to the 15th century, built for Jean de la Hamaide before 1411. This sandstone building, flanked by four conical turrets, served as a seigneurial residence and housed functions such as the doorman's room. Its facades combine limestone and brick, with cradle vaults and carved skylights.

In the 17th century, adjacent wings (Rue de la Cavalerie and Rue de la Bibliothèque) were added, reflecting the influence of the families of Croy and Lallaing. The wing of the rue de la Cavalerie, modified in 1643, incorporates ceilings with compartments and a staircase called Louis XIV, showing royal stays. The castle, declared national in 1793, was partially dismantled in the 19th century to expand the streets, before building museum and municipal library.

The adjoining 17th-century buildings feature brick and stone facades with limestone bay frames. Their history is linked to the urban transformations of Condé-sur-l'Escaut, where two seigneuries (that of Bailleul and that of the castle) coexisted. The wings, protected since 1987, retain elements such as baluster staircases and decorated ceilings, despite divisions into 20th century dwellings.

The site also illustrates military episodes: during World War II, its park housed German V1 launch ramps, neutralized by the Bailleul Marquise thanks to buried scrap metal. After the war, the buildings, disused, suffered degradation, although classified as Historical Monuments (1904 for the castle, 1987 for the wings).

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