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Origin and history

The Nointel Gate is one of the few remains of the medieval ramparts of Clermont-en-Beauvais (Oise), built in the 14th century under the reign of Charles IV the Bel to strengthen the city. It was originally referred to as "Warty's Owl" in a 1373 count. Originally, it had two floors, a harrow and a drawbridge, but today it remains only the lower arch in third-point arch, characteristic of the flamboyant Gothic. A part was rebuilt in the 16th century, as evidenced by an engraving of 1656.

This gate served as a gateway to the suburb of Pont-de-Pierre, as well as to the cities of Pont-Sainte-Maxence and Compiègne. In the 19th century, it was surmounted by a small building, now extinct. In 1882 the municipality of Clermont undertook its restoration and released it from invasive vegetation. After negotiations with a neighbouring owner, it became definitively communal property. The visible remains also include elements of the first college, discovered in 1828 during work.

Ranked a historic monument since 22 March 1937, the Porte de Nointel is located in the street of the same name, between the church of Saint-Samson and the Parc du Châtellier. Its architecture reveals traces of transformations, like the flamboyant Gothic larval, while its archeries recall its defensive role. Capitals and pillar bases, from the medieval collegiate, are preserved in the hall of the city hall of Clermont.

Historical sources, such as Claude Teillet (1995), underline its importance in the city's old and defensive network. Today, it bears witness to the medieval urban planning of Clermont, between fortification, circulation and religious heritage.

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