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Origin and history

The Château de Saint-Pierre-Eglise is an 18th-century residence in the Manche, Normandy. It replaces a Renaissance mansion built after the fire of 1594, itself replacing a 16th century "strong drawbridge house". The present castle, built between 1730 and 1758 by Bon Hervé Castel, Marquis de Saint-Pierre-Eglise, follows the plans of engineer Nicolas Blondel. Its sober facades, its French-style park and its outbuildings incorporate vestiges of previous eras.

In the 16th century, John de Clamorgan, Saxon lord, had a fortress surrounded by moat near the church. In 1575, the seigneury passed to Richard Castel, then to his son Nicolas, whose Renaissance mansion was burned in 1594 during the Wars of Religion by Jean de Raffoville, leaguer. Nicolas Castel, a supporter of Henry IV, obtained repair and rebuilt the mansion with his wife, Jeanne de Couvert. This manor house, partially demolished in the 18th century, remains in today's commons.

The present castle is erected by Bon Hervé Castel between 1730 and 1758, surrounding the property of walls and avenues in star. Charles-Irénée Castel de Saint-Pierre, a philosopher famous for his perpetual peace project, is born there and often stays there. The estate then came to the hands of the Érard families of Belisle and Leviconte de Blangy, who made modifications, such as the entrance gate from the Château d'Écausseville after the Second World War.

During the two world wars, the castle suffered major damage. In 1914-1918 he served as a military hospital. In 1939-1945, the Germans occupied, blasted blockhouses in the park and stole works of art, while the Americans, during the Liberation, housed 450 dockers, leaving the site very degraded. The restoration by Hubert de Blangy lasted fifteen years. Today, Marquis Gérard de Blangy and his wife own them, opening the estate to visits and space rentals.

Architecturally, the castle is distinguished by its 46-metre rectangular housing body, its central front-body sculpted (Leviconte Arms of Blangy and Choiseul-Daillecourt), and its interior marked by a wrought iron staircase and a large polygonal living room with Regency woodwork. The park, enclosed by walls pierced with four cardinal doors, preserves historic alleys and centuries-old species. An underground tunnel would once link the castle to the cellars of the courtyard of Inthéville in Fermanville.

Partially protected since 1930, the castle has its facades, pavilions, court of honor and grounds registered in 1970. Its history reflects the political and social upheavals of Normandy, from the wars of Religion to Liberation, to the French Revolution, where its owners, like Marquis Bon Paul Jacques Érard de Belisle, were persecuted for their nobility. The Leviconte de Blangy, the last owners, preserved this heritage despite the vicissitudes of the twentieth century.

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