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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The manor house of the Court, located in Gonfreville in the department of the Manche, is an ancient fortified house dating back to the 15th century, profoundly redesigned in the 16th and 17th centuries. The building, surrounded by moat and entirely enclosed at the beginning, features Renaissance architectural elements, such as a Corinthian capital gate and twisted-sleeve windows. Its facades and roofs, as well as those of its communes, were inscribed in historical monuments by order of 14 November 1977.

In the 16th century, the manor belonged to François Le Roux, Sieur de Gonfreville and Treasurer de France at Caen in 1640. The ensemble includes, in addition to the L-shaped house, a stair tower with cut-pans (a second having disappeared in 1944), a 16th century porch adorned with a Gothic niche, and buildings operating with twin windows. Inside, the doors in braid and carved coats of arms, like the one accompanied by oak leaves on the stairway door, testify to its past prestige.

Architecturally, the mansion illustrates the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with defensive elements (douves, closures) and refined decorations. Its proximity to the Saint-Manvieu church in Gonfreville highlights its central role in the village. The commons, dating from the same time, complete this seigneurial ensemble, partially preserved despite the destructions of 1944.

The protection of historical monuments specifically concerns the facades and roofs of the manor house and its outbuildings, as specified in the 1977 Decree. The available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) underline its heritage importance in the landscape of Norman manors, while noting gaps on certain aspects of its history, such as the exact uses of interior spaces or post-17th century modifications.

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