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Origin and history

The château de Hénu, located in the department of Pas-de-Calais in the Hauts-de-France region, was built in 1745 by Charles-Maximilien Malet de Coupigny, seigneur of Hénu and Warlincourt. This castle replaced an old stronghold and marked the culmination of a seigneury erected in the county in August 1722 by royal letters given at Versailles. The estate, which then consists of four large towers, buildings spanning fifteen acres, as well as lands and woods, is a symbol of the seigneurial power in Artois.

In 1745, the present castle was built with an imposing facade of 31 windows, reflecting the prestige of the Coupigny family. The French Revolution led to its seizure, and it was transformed into a chicory factory. At the beginning of the 19th century, in 1810, Mr Houdouart de Thièvres, having made a fortune in the sugar industry, bought the castle and reinvigorated it deeply. This monument, accompanied by a historical farm body, has been classified as historical monuments since 6 October 1977.

The castle is also linked to a tragic event: on 30 January 1902, Countess Paul Le Mesre de Pas, born Cleenewerck de Crayencrourt, died there during a hunting game. Today, the castle of Hénu remains an architectural and historical testimony of the artesian aristocracy, marked by its successive transformations and its central role in local life.

The town of Hénu, where the castle stands, is a small rural town of 147 inhabitants (2023), located in the landscapes of the Val d'Authie. This territory, marked by a dominant agricultural occupation (82.4% of the land in 2018), is part of a preserved natural environment, between limestone plateaus and alluvial valley. The castle, surrounded by cultivated land and forests, illustrates the seigneurial heritage and economic changes of this border region between Artois and Picardie.

The site is also remarkable for its integration into a diverse ecological landscape, including the Quillian Valley and its protected natural areas. These elements underline the historical and environmental importance of the Henu castle, which remains a anchor of local and regional heritage.

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