Construction of the castle XIe et XIIe siècles (≈ 1250)
Building of earth and wood.
18 mai 2005
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 18 mai 2005 (≈ 2005)
Total protection of the site.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The medieval fortification in total, with the soil of plots AC 85 and AC 86 on which it is located: inscription by order of 18 May 2005
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
Missing sources.
Origin and history
The fortifications of the Grand Besle, located at Sainte-Croix-sur-Buchy, are a medieval military structure composed of a circular rise of land surrounded by a 17-metre-wide ditch. This system delimits a horizontal platform of about 50 meters in diameter. Originally, it was probably a castle of land and wood, typical of the 11th and 12th centuries, designed to control and defend access to the Duchy of Normandy. A semicircular enclosure in the southwest may have served as a bassyard or forebody, strengthening the defensive function of the whole.
This site has been identified as suitable for the Plessis Castle, mentioned in historical sources. The fortifications, though modest in appearance, illustrate the military construction techniques of the time, where the earth and wood castles often preceded stone buildings. Their strategic role was linked to the protection of the duchy's borders, in a region marked by feudal conflicts and tensions between local and ducal authorities.
Ranked Historic Monument by Order of May 18, 2005, the site includes the entire fortification, as well as the AC 85 and AC 86 plots on which it is located. The exact location remains approximate, with an address indicated between Sainte-Croix-sur-Buchy and Bosc-Roger-sur-Buchy. No information is available on its current accessibility or tourist use.
