Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Caudemone Manor House is an iconic 15th and 16th century building located in Auquainville, Calvados department, Normandy. Ranked among historical monuments since 1929, it illustrates the wood-paned architecture characteristic of the country of Auge, with a facade divided into three distinct parts reflecting successive construction campaigns. Its location overlooking the Touques Valley, close to Notre-Dame Church, highlights its importance in the local landscape.

The construction of the mansion took place in three major phases. The southern part, dating from the late 15th century, is distinguished by its Gothic style, with corbellations and a richly decorated entrance door. The central part, built in the last third of the sixteenth century, adopts a more sober style, while the northern part, without corbellation, completes the whole. These stylistic differences, although visible, form a homogeneous whole thanks to the systematic use of half-timber.

The estate has changed hands several times over the centuries. In the middle of the 15th century, it belonged to the Anfey family, before passing in 1573 to the Bernières by alliance, then to the Four. Later, Jean-Baptiste Lebas, seigneur of Coudray, became its owner. These successive transmissions reflect the social and economic dynamics of the Norman nobility during the Ancien Régime.

Around the manor lies a park housing an octagonal dovecote of the seventeenth century, typical of the seigneurial outbuildings of the time. This dovecote, built in wooden strips with a roof of tiles and a lantern roof, as well as an annex construction also in half-timbers, testify to the domestic and agricultural organization of the large rural estates. These elements, while secondary, contribute to the heritage value of the site.

The protection of the mansion in 1929, including the main building, the polygonal edicle and the communes, underscores its historical and architectural importance. This official recognition preserved a remarkable example of Norman noble habitat, combining residential, defensive and symbolic functions. Today, there remains a valuable testimony to the evolution of constructive techniques and lifestyles between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

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