Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of La Selle-sur-le-Bied was built in 1643 by the knight Richard Petit, the king's secretary councillor, to replace the former seigneurial castle of La Celle. This building, initially of one level, is distinguished by its two higher side pavilions and a model combining stone and exposed bricks. It is lined with moat on three sides, while the river La Cléry borders its southern flank. An old bridge, crossing the moat, connects the castle to an esplanade to the west.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the central body of the castle was raised from one floor, partially changing its original appearance. The estate also includes a farm whose vaulted cellars, probably dated from the Middle Ages, fall on the bedside of the parish church. These cellars, characterised by stone dogive crosses, bear witness to an ancient occupation of the site. The castle and its surroundings (façades, roofs, access bridge and moat) were inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 1 October 1963.

The architecture of the castle reflects a transition between classical and regional styles, with residual defensive elements (douves) and harmonious integration into the local landscape. The presence of the river and moat underscores its historic role as a protected seigneurial residence, while illustrating the evolution of residential needs between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries. The proximity of the parish church and medieval remains in the farm suggests a continuous occupation and exploitation of the estate over centuries.

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