Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Hénonville, located in the Oise in Hénonville, finds its origins in the thirteenth century, with a first building destroyed during the Jacquerie. In 1554, René de Bucy, new owner after purchasing from François de Rouville in 1535, rebuilt the castle on medieval foundations. The seigneury remained in Bucy's family until 1714, when it was sold to Pierre-François Ogier, Receiver General of the Clergé, who undertook a major reconstruction in 1722, keeping remains like a medieval tower hidden behind woodwork.

In 1751, the estate moved to Edme Joseph Roslin, an anobli farmer-general, whose son, Jean-Baptiste Roslin d'Ivry, entrusted between 1765 and 1771 a complete modernization to architect Jean-Benoît Barré. The latter preserves the four corner towers while refurbishing the facades and refurbishing interior and exterior, including a new entrance gate and farm buildings. The castle, decorated with paintings by Boucher and Fragonard, became a prestigious place before being sequestered during the Terror, then returned in 1809 to the Roslin family, made Baroness of the Empire.

In the 20th century, the castle changed hands several times: acquired in 1900 by banker Henri Bamberger, emptied during the Second World War, then transformed in 1946 into a centre for Jewish deportees and refugees until 1952. Ranked a historic monument in 1960 for its facades and roofs, it was bought in 1975 by the commune of Hénonville, which began its restoration in 1978. Since 2012, the castle, partially stripped of its interior decor, is rented for receptions.

The history of the castle reflects the political and social upheavals of France, from the wars of Religion to the Revolution, through the two world wars. Its architecture combines medieval heritage, 18th century classicism and traces of successive occupations, while its walls housed major artistic collections before serving as a humanitarian refuge.

Today, a communal property, the castle of Hénonville embodies both a preserved architectural heritage and a collective memory, marked by its varied uses, from aristocratic residence to post-Second World War solidarity. Its classification and restoration testify to the desire to keep this witness of times.

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