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Key figures

Origin and history

Château de la Motte-Husson is located in the commune of Martigné-sur-Mayenne, in the department of Mayenne (Pays de la Loire). It occupies the site of an ancient castral mot and a 15th century castle, mentioned in seigneurial confessions since 1394. The fief belonged to the Chapelle-Rainsouin, with rights of high justice and privileges in the local church, such as the construction of a chapel Sainte-Anne in 1543 by Jeanne de Cervon.

In 1600, the estate, acquired by the family of Baglion de la Dufferie, was described as a fortified complex comprising a kitchen, rooms, a chapel, a drawbridge and moats. The present neo-Renaissance style castle was built between 1868 and 1874 on the initiative of Louise-Dorothée Baglion de la Dufferie. It has five floors, two pepper towers, 47 bedrooms, and retains the original square moat, accompanied by a park, an orangery and a stable.

The chapel of the castle, blessed three times (1654, 1727, 1771), illustrates its local religious importance. In 2015, the castle was purchased by Dick Strawbridge and his wife Angela, who began his renovation, documented in the show Escape to the Chateau (2016–2022). The building, initially without electricity or heating, also suffered from merule and asbestos.

The archives mention lords such as Henri de Husson (15th century) and the Baglion family of the Dufferie, owners from the 17th century until 2015. Historically the estate includes the Bois-Flèche and the Motte-d-Aron, acquired in 1675. Seigneurial rights, such as the perception of salt and butter, reflect his feudal status.

The castle thus combines medieval elements (douves, high justice) and 19th century architecture, while embodying a transition between fief seigneurial and modern aristocratic residence. Its recent renovation has made it a symbol of revitalized heritage, publicised internationally.

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