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Key figures

Origin and history

Pannard Castle, also known as Panard Castle, is located 1,000 metres north of Ernée, Mayenne. Its name may come from the celtic penn (head) and ardent (head), evoking a "flaming head", although other hypotheses suggest a link with a local grass long and fine. Two homonyms exist in Wales: the castle of Pennard (thirtyth century) and the seaside town of Penarth, as well as the car brand Panhard, sharing a similar etymology. Historical records of the site date back to 1120 (P. de Penardo), with spelling variations over the centuries (Pannart, Pennard, Panard).

A neolithic axe discovered on the site attests to a prehistoric occupation. The estate, originally under Charné-Bazeille (1669), comprises a main body and a wing in return, modernized in the 19th century. The west wing retains 13th century openings and the foundations of a defence tower demolished in 1802. The current façade, dated 1840, is the work of the Parisian architect Lorlotte, known for his work on other regional castles such as that of Clivoy in Chailland. At its peak, the castle housed works of art, including an Ecce Homo attributed to Guido Reni and portraits of historical figures such as Louis XVIII or Stanislas Leszczyński, linked to the family owner.

Pannard's fief is associated with several noble families. The first lords mentioned were the Pannard (Hugues, Gaultier, Guérin, 12th–13th centuries), followed by the Mégaudais and the Nos. Jean Le Cornu, Sieur du Parc, married Marie de Mégaudais in 1576, and their descendants, including Les Nos, marked the history of the castle until the 19th century. Charles-René des Nos, widowed in 1750, and his son Charles-Louis, a military, perpetuate the lineage. In 1843, Anatole-Charles des Nos, Count, married Antoinette-Jeanne-Laurence de Thellusson, closing this family chronology.

The castle was linked to local religious institutions: a chapel, founded in the church of Charne, was transferred in 1701 to the altar of Saint John d'Ernée. Equipped with tithes acquired in 1576 by Jean Le Cornu and Marie de Mégaudais, it illustrates the links between local nobility and Church. The archives also mention donations to Fontaine-Daniel Abbey before 1209, highlighting the medieval anchoring of the estate.

The written sources come mainly from the cartulars of Savigny and Marmoutier, as well as from the department archives of La Mayenne. Abbé Angot (1900–1910) describes the castle as a "somewhat heavy" building with cyclopean pilasters, reflecting its successive transformations. Despite the reconstructions, the site retains defensive and residential elements characteristic of its evolution, from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

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