First entry 1147 (≈ 1147)
Possession of Clairvaux, first Cistercian barn.
XVIe siècle
Farming
Farming XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Becoming a leasehold, welcoming the monks.
6 juin 1791
Sale as a national good
Sale as a national good 6 juin 1791 (≈ 1791)
Purchased by Claude Duval de Fraville.
26 décembre 2001
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 26 décembre 2001 (≈ 2001)
Protection of the chapel, house, barn and enclosure.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The chapel, the covered porch, the house body, the south-west barn, the enclosure wall and the ground (Box B 532-535): inscription by order of 26 December 2001
Key figures
Claude Duval de Fraville - Acquirer in 1791
Get the barn as a national good.
Origin and history
The Fraville barn, located in Arconville in the Aube department, is a historic possession of Clairvaux Abbey, mentioned since 1147. It is considered the first barn of this Cistercian abbey, linked to the appearance of conversants, lay monks in charge of agricultural work. This site illustrates the economic and religious organization of Cistercians in the Middle Ages, with agricultural activity unchanged since the 12th century.
In the 16th century, the barn became a farm operated by lease, while retaining its role as a welcome for the monks passing through, offering lodging and covered. Sold as national property on June 6, 1791 to Claude Duval de Fraville, she then went into private hands. The name of the Duval de Fraville family comes directly from this place, marking its local importance.
The current architectural complex includes several remarkable elements: a house with vaulted cellar in a cradle, a porch covered with flat tiles, a 13th century chapel dedicated to Saint Barnabé, a barn and a wall of enclosure. The oak frame of the house body, typical of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as all the buildings and the ground, have been listed as historical monuments since 26 December 2001. These remains demonstrate the continuity of agricultural and architectural practices over more than six centuries.
The Fraville barn thus embodies an agricultural, religious and architectural heritage. Its history reflects economic and social developments, from its initial role in the Cistercian system to its transformation into private property after the French Revolution. The preserved elements offer a concrete overview of rural and monastic life in Champagne through the ages.
