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Origin and history

The Château de la Cour is a manor house located in Sainte-Gemmes-le-Robert, in the department of Mayenne, in the Pays de la Loire region. It is located near the village, on the road to Évron. The site was mentioned as early as 1665 in a confession describing a seigneurial complex including a house body, a pavilion, a stair tower, a stable called the Forge, a wooden drawbridge portal, and defensive ditches. A runaway (columbier) on foot also served as a fortification. These elements, partially disappeared today, bear witness to a defensive and residential architecture typical of the modern era.

The former house, dominated by a high-roofed pavilion, still remains, as does an isolated pavilion on the edge of the moat. The gardens, built in the 19th century, were adorned with large charmiles. A 17th century sundial, observed by Abbé Angot, bore the signature of François Letonnelier du Ribay, a local artisan. This dial, although without initial inscription according to Angot, illustrates the importance of scientific and symbolic decorations in the seigneurial homes of the time.

The fief of the Court, although the seat of the parish seigneury, had only land justice (limited to land disputes) and depended in part on the seigneury of Cordouan. Among the local customs, the Mazeril's frarache was to offer a crown of roses six rows during Pentecost, then two flowering Easter bay branches. These traditions reflect the feudal and religious ties that shaped rural life in Mayenne.

The archives mention titles relating to the Court and the Plessis-Buret, as well as parish registers of Sainte-Gemmes. The sources cited by Abbé Angot include documents from the Sarthe Departmental Archives and the National Archives (KK. 324), confirming the historical anchoring of the site in the seigneurial and administrative networks of the region.

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