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Origin and history

The tower of Thevray is a 15th-century mansion, vestige of a castle today gone. Located on the former commune of Thevray, which has since been integrated in Mesnil-en-Ouche (Eure, Normandy), it was built in 1489 by Jacques de Chambray, a large baili d'Evreux, to replace a destroyed castral mot. The building, of pentagonal shape, combines sandstone, brick (rare in the area) and flint, with mâchicoulis and a polygonal roof decorated with skylights. Ranked a historic monument in 1886, it symbolizes the transition between fortress and seigneurial residence.

The site was first occupied by a castle destroyed in 1418 during the Hundred Years War, then rebuilt in 1440 by John III of Chambray. In 1489 his son Jacques de Chambray erected the present tower, flanked by a forebody with a drawbridge. In the 16th century, Gabriel de Chambray, Jacques's grand-nevew, added a house (disappeared in the 19th century) and remodeled the premises in a secondary residence. Today only the tower, a dovecote, commons and an 18th century barn remain.

The original chapel, dedicated to Saint Eustache and originally housed in the tower, was moved into the commons. The tower, isolated 1 km from the church of Saint Martin, bears witness to the architectural evolution of Norman castles, mixing defensive functions and residential comfort. Its ranking in 1886 underscores its heritage importance, linked to the history of the families of Chambray and the region of Évreux.

The materials used (brick, sandstone, flint) and pentagonal shape reflect the innovations of the late Middle Ages. The roof in "stainless", the mâchicoulis and the skylights recall the architectural influences of the nascent Renaissance. The tower, now surrounded by agricultural buildings, remains a rare example of a dungeon transformed into a noble dwelling, illustrating the gradual pacification of Normandy after the Hundred Years' War.

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