Castle of the Escoublère en Mayenne

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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Escoublère Castle, also known as Ecoublère, is a 16th century Renaissance monument located in Daon, Mayenne, 2 km northeast of the village. Built around 1570, it illustrates the evolution of the castles to more comfortable residences while retaining defensive elements, such as the moat and the drawbridge replaced by a stone bridge. Its architecture, with bell roofed towers and an unfinished chapel in 1535, reflects the influences of the period.

The history of the castle is linked to the family of Halls, owner from the fourteenth century. Jean de Salles, who remained Catholic during the Wars of Religion, strengthened his defences between 1560 and 1570 in the face of local Protestant unrest. A Latin inscription on the well, dated 1570, bears witness to this troubled time: "In thee, Domine, spermavi" ("In thee, Lord, I have put my hope"). The estate, vassal of Daon, then included farmhouses, woods and vineyards.

In the 18th century, the castle became a caulian landmark during the Revolution. Cockereau, royalist leader, made him his headquarters before being killed there in 1795. An inscription on the chestnut commemorates this episode, citing its lieutenants like Binet and Grand Pierre. Ranked a historic monument in 1927, the castle retains remarkable elements such as its carved well, its inner courtyard and its still water moats.

The lords of the Escoublère, including Jean de Salles (builder of the castle) and Claude de Salles (killed in 1622), mark his history. In the 19th century, the estate passed into the hands of noble families such as the Guesclin or the Beynaguet, before being sold in 1842 to Romain Le Motheux. Its architecture, combining Renaissance and military adaptations, makes it a rare testimony of the religious and political tensions of the Old Regime.

The chapel, considered useful to keep under the Empire (year XII), and the Latin inscriptions recall its dual role: seigneurial residence and fortress. Local Huguenot disturbances, such as the capture of Château-Gontier in 1568 or the execution of the "Diable of Bressault" in 1572, contextualize the defensive reinforcements of the castle. Its well, classified with the building, is a work of art in its own right, adorned with columns and an nested dome.

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