Seat of a barony Moyen Âge (≈ 1125)
Medieval castle at the origin of the site.
Règne de Louis XIII (début XVIIe siècle)
Construction of the current mansion
Construction of the current mansion Règne de Louis XIII (début XVIIe siècle) (≈ 1704)
Period of reconstruction of the mansion.
28 janvier 1944
First registration in Historic Monuments
First registration in Historic Monuments 28 janvier 1944 (≈ 1944)
Protection of moat and dove.
22 décembre 2016
Extension of registration
Extension of registration 22 décembre 2016 (≈ 2016)
Add house, wings and remains.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
In total the main house framed by its two wings, the isolated pavilion located to the southwest and the tower located on the southern dependency; facades and roofs of all outbuildings; all moat, hydraulic system and remnants of the mill; subsoil soils and remains of parcels 3 to 8 and 141 (see Box A 3 to 8, 141): registration by order of 22 December 2016
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
Sources insufficient to identify.
Origin and history
Le Manoir de Cléray is an emblematic building located in Belfonds, in the department of Orne, Normandy. Built in the 16th and 17th centuries, it embodies the seigneurial architecture of this period, with elements such as moat, an isolated pavilion and a dovecote. The site has been partially listed in the Historic Monuments since 1944, then completed in 2016 to include the main house, its wings, a tower, as well as the remains of a mill and the hydraulic network.
Originally, in the Middle Ages, Cléray housed a castle that served as a seat for a large barony. The current mansion dates back to the reign of Louis XIII (early 17th century). This place thus bears witness to the architectural and social evolution of the region, from a medieval fortress to a more refined seigneurial residence.
The successive protections of the mansion underline its heritage importance. In 1944, the moat, the south-east pavilion and the dovecote were registered, and in 2016, the inscription was extended to the facades, roofs, floors and archaeological remains of the surrounding plots. These measures are designed to preserve the integrity of a remarkable architectural and landscape ensemble linked to local and regional history.
