Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of the Plessis-Bouquelon, located in the commune of Bouquelon in the Eure, is a building whose construction begins in the 16th century (although elements of the 15th century are mentioned, such as the entrance pavilion). It was enlarged in the 18th and 19th centuries, reflecting the architectural evolution of a Norman seigneurial estate. The site includes a manor house, a dovecote, a wood, and the chapel Saint-Eustache, attested as early as 1464. In 1608, Claude de La Barre, treasurer of France, commissioned the painter Symon Gredovin to murals for this chapel, representing biblical scenes and the Last Judgment.

In 1750, the castle was extended by a wing in return on the medieval entrance pavilion, whose curved frame is preserved. A century later, in 1844, architect Jacques-Eugène Barthélémy erected a neo-Gothic funeral chapel for the Count of Osmoy, Charles-Henri Leboeuf, marking a romantic embellishment of the estate. The castle, its outbuildings, and the landscape perspective were listed as historical monuments in 2005, while the chapel and entrance pavilion were classified in 2011.

The estate thus illustrates almost four centuries of history, from its medieval origins to its modern transformations, including Renaissance decorations and 19th century additions. The property, now private, preserves traces of its aristocratic sponsors, such as the frescoes of Gredovin or the funeral chapel, testimonies of their piety and power. The structure of the entrance pavilion, dated from the 14th to 15th centuries, also recalls the ancient origins of the site, prior to subsequent developments.

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