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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Prouzel, located in the department of the Somme, was erected between 1699 and 1700 at the site of an ancient medieval farmhouse. His sponsor, Adrien Creton, seigneur of Willameville, served as president of the Bailiwick of Amiens and became mayor of that town in 1717-1718. The building, of classic style, reflects the architectural influence of the era, with a body of houses framed with wings in retreat and a Mansard roof.

In the 19th century, the castle passed into the hands of Marie Amélie Gaillard of Auberville, wife of General Christophe Louis Léon Juchault de Lamoricière. The latter, a prominent military figure, was Minister of War in 1848 and died in Prouzel in 1865. The estate was then acquired in 1880 by the Baron of the Epine, whose descendants still own it today. The castle and its park, registered with the Historical Monuments in 1963, preserve woodwork and stucco signed by Jacques Rousseau.

The 12-hectare park, accessible by a wrought iron gate, is organized around a central driveway leading to the castle. At the back, it dominates the Selle valley, offering a remarkable landscape. Together, combining architectural and natural heritage, bears witness to the aristocratic and military heritage of the region.

The interior of the castle is distinguished by its interior decorations, including woodwork and stucco attributed to the artisan Jacques Rousseau. These elements, characteristic of the eighteenth century, underline the refinement of the initial construction. The domain, always private, illustrates the sustainability of noble families in the management of local heritage.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1963, the Castle of Prouzel embodies both local and national history. His association with personalities such as Lamoricière, an actor of the Second Republic, makes him a place charged with political and military memory. Today, there remains a preserved example of picardic classical architecture.

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