Castle of the Court en Mayenne

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Origin and history

The Château de la Cour is a mansion located in Commer, in the department of Mayenne, in the Pays de la Loire region. Built 800 meters north of the village, it is crossed by the stream of the Court, length 3,400 meters. The fief, under the Bois-au-Parc, was described in 1587 as a manable house surrounded by walls and ditches, including a chapel, a supply, and outbuildings. Although transformed, the mansion preserves traces of its original structure, like an ear of faience in the shape of a vase surmounted by a dove, still visible in the 19th century.

The chapel, founded before 1515 by Christophe de la Roussière and Louise de Bernzay under the name of Saint Christophe, was dedicated to three weekly Masses. In 1658 René de Champagné added a Mass in honour of Saint Barbe and commissioned a statue of the saint, not carved of wood. The chapel, in ruins in the 18th century, was rebuilt in 1729 by Simon Gasté after tensions with the bishop. In 1790, the last chaplain was still employed, and a statue of Saint Barbe, mentioned in a 1658 will, remained on the farm.

The estate, mainly composed of meadows, was at the heart of tax disputes: in 1686 parishioners challenged the lord's size exemption, arguing for his cattle trade. The charterer of the castle, although rich, contained no title related to the land or the region. The ancient descriptions, like those of the Cassini map, evoke a village with two aisles planted, highlighting its local importance.

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