Construction of the house 2e quart XIVe siècle (≈ 1437)
Period of initial construction of the mansion.
31 juillet 1997
First protection
First protection 31 juillet 1997 (≈ 1997)
Partial registration as Historic Monument.
19 janvier 2024
Final classification
Final classification 19 janvier 2024 (≈ 2024)
Complete classification of the house and dependencies.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Main building and attached building to the southeast; common building as well as the plate ground of the cadastral plots included in the loop of the Oudon (cad. L 149 to 151, 281): entry by order of 31 July 1997; The house of L'Epinay, with its appentis, situated on Parcel No. 150 in the cadastre section L, as coloured in red on the plan annexed to the decree: classification by order of 19 January 2024
Origin and history
The residence of L'Epinay, located in Cossé-le-Vivien in the Pays de la Loire, dates from the second quarter of the 14th century. Originally interpreted as a court room or a dimary barn, it is now classified as one of the low room manors on one level, a rare architectural typology for this period. Its simple plan and remarkable structure make it a valuable testimony to the medieval seigneurial habitat in this region.
The monument was partially inscribed in 1997, covering the main building, its appentis and commons, as well as the surrounding land. In 2024, a decree classified the whole house, including its outbuildings, thus recognizing its exceptional heritage value. Private property, it is not accessible to the public, but its state of conservation and location in the Oudon loop make it a site of major historical interest.
The initial designation of the house as a judicial or agricultural area has been revised by researchers, who now highlight its residential use. This evolution reflects a better understanding of the rural manors of the Middle Ages, often versatile but primarily linked to the habitat of local elites. The successive protections (1997 and 2024) illustrate the desire to preserve this fragile heritage, representative of medieval civil architecture in Mayenne.
