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Key figures

Origin and history

The castles of Mello, called "Grand Mello", are composed of two major buildings: the Fortress of Mello and the Princess Castle, both built in the 15th century. Located in the commune of Mello (Oise, Hauts-de-France), they illustrate the architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The Fortress, a quadrilateral square flanked by towers, once served as a prison, with a 42-metre dungeon with views of Beauvais. Their inscription in historic monuments in 1989 underscores their heritage value.

Mello's history dates back to at least the 11th century, with lord Barons mentioned in medieval charters. The last heir, Marguerite de Mello, married Jean de Néelle in the 14th century, before the estate passed to the Montmorency by marriage in 1530. The latter, owners until 1768, welcomed Henry IV and Louis XIII for hunting parties. The chapel was built by Charlotte-Marguerite de Montmorency in memory of his brother, beheaded in 1632.

In the 19th century, the Princess's Castle was rebuilt by Hippolyte Destailler, a pupil of Viollet-le-Duc, replacing an 18th-century building. The interiors combine medieval austerity (woodworks, bumpers) and bright colours (red, purple, ochre), reflecting the tastes of the era. After changes of owners, including the Seillière and Patu families, since 2004 the castles have hosted business seminars, perpetuating their social role.

The exterior architecture, marked by corbelled turrets and thick walls, contrasts with the internal traffics evoking the Paris Marais of the 11th–13th centuries. The Oise departmental archives confirm the strategic importance of the site, a crossroads of roads and a dominant point of view, perhaps occupied from ancient times, although the evidence of Roman origin remains hypothetical.

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