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Origin and history

The castle of The Hague-du-Puits is a former 11th and 12th century castle built on a feudal motte. Located in the present municipality of The Hague (formerly The Hague-du-Puits) in the English Channel, it was the centre of an important Norman Barony. Its ruins, classified as historical monuments since 1840, bear witness to a defensive architecture typical of the ducal era, with a massive gate tower and remnants of courtines.

According to historical sources, the castle was attested as early as 1082, when Robert de Mortain, the uterine brother of William the Conqueror, made donations there. Local tradition attributes its foundation to Richard Turstin Haldup, Baron of The Hague-du-Puits, although this hypothesis is not confirmed. In the 12th century, the seigneury passed into the hands of the family of The Hague, notably Richard de The Hague, a connétable of Normandy, who founded the Abbey of Blanchelande in 1154 with his wife Mathilde de Reviers-Vernon.

The castle changed hands several times over the centuries, especially during the Hundred Years War, where it was occupied by the English before being restored under Charles V in 1375. In the 15th century, Henri de Colombières undertook major repairs, while in the 16th century, Arthur de Magneville rearranged the bassyard in a Renaissance style. Partially demolished in the 19th century and damaged during the Battle of 1944, today only remains, including an imposing quadrangular gate tower.

Architecturally, the castle was a shell-keep, a rare type in Normandy, characterized by a circular enclosure encompassing the motte. The 20-metre high door tower retains defensive elements such as a drawbridge and mâchicoulis. Nearby, a Renaissance mansion built by Arthur de Magneville completes the ensemble, with towers and vaults in the basement. The 19th century drawings and archaeological excavations partially reconstruct its original appearance.

The honour of The Hague, linked to the seigneury, included twenty-six fiefs in the Cotentin, including several coastal and forestry parishes. The Hague family, then the Hommet and the Mortemer, dominated the area until the 14th century, before the castle passed into the hands of families such as the Colombières, the Cerisays and the Magneville. Its decline began with the Revolution and its partial destruction in the 19th century.

Ranked among the first French historical monuments in 1840, the site is today communal property. Although largely in ruins, there remains a major testimony of Norman castral architecture and feudal history of the region. The accessible remains make it possible to imagine its strategic and residential role throughout the centuries.

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