Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Kerscao mansion, located in Locmaria-Plouzané in Finistère, is mentioned as in ruins from 1468 before being rebuilt in two major phases. The first campaign, around 1520-1530, concerns the kitchen, the stairway tower and the northeast pavilion, while the second, around 1590-1600, corresponds to an eastward expansion under the impulse of Claude de Kerguiziau. This manor is distinguished by advanced defensive architecture (fire stoppers), a polychromy of materials, and interior elements such as varnished terracotta tiles.

The site includes a double enclosure: the first, about two hectares, includes the old gardens, the house, a tower in ruins, a chapel (1590) and a dovecote; the second delimits the courtyard, closed by commons, a wall pierced by a double gate, and a square tower. Subsequently transformed into a farm, the mansion has been in restoration since 1977. It has been partially listed as a historical monument since 4 February 1998, protecting, inter alia, the house, chapel, dovecote and enclosure walls.

Kerguiziau de Kerscao's family, who sponsored the works, marked the history of the site with its architectural and defensive ambition. The mansion thus illustrates the evolution of Breton seigneurial residences between Renaissance and early 17th century, combining comfort, prestige and protection. The preserved elements, such as stairs or defense systems, bear witness to exceptional craftsmanship and strategic expertise for the time.

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