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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Grande Forge de Chailland, located 2 km northwest of the village, on the edge of the forest of Mayenne, was founded in 1550 by François de Lorraine, lord of Mayenne. This industrial site, fed by the wood of the forest and the driving force of the Ernée, transformed the iron ore extracted from neighbouring hamlets such as the Fleuradière or Bourgneuf-la-Forêt. By 1560, his iron was famous, attracting nailers and artisans.

In the 17th century, the forge produced 800,000 pounds of iron annually, including cast iron. Acquired in 1657 by Cardinal Mazarin, it became a dependence of the Duchy of Mayenne. The forges of Villeneuve and Andoullé were attached to him, consolidating his economic importance. During the Revolution, in 1794, the Public Salvation Committee requisitioned it to melt cannons, mobilizing 500 workers and 400 horses in spite of the unrest.

The decline began in the 19th century after its acquisition in 1834 by Henri de Chavagnac. British competition, reinforced by the Free Trade Treaty, reduced its production from 600 to 400 tonnes in a decade, leading to its closure around 1863. Today, there are ruins, workers' housing and the canalized river bed. The site, which was listed as a historical monument in 1992, bears witness to three centuries of intense metallurgical activity.

The mansion of Aubert, next to the forge, was a seigneurial fief mentioned in 1409, including mills, estates and rights of use in the forest. The chapel Saint-Jean-et-Sainte-Catherine, rebuilt in the 17th century under the name of Saint Charles, served as a place of worship and assembly until the 19th century. His stained glass windows, painted by Léon-Auguste Ottin in 1878, decorated this Romanesque building.

The modern castle, built near the site of the mansion of Aubert, dominates the valley of Ernée and the forest edge. During the Terror, Michel-René Maupetit, a refugee on site, studied geology and meteorology, inspired by local rocks like those of Fendrie. These industrial and natural landscapes have marked the economic and social history of Mayenne.

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