Castle of Courmenant
Its origins
The keep of Courmenant is located in the West of the department of the the Sarthe, on the territory of the commune of Coil-in-Champagne, with 6 kilometers in the south of Sillé-the-Guillaume.
It is drawn up on the western slope of a revived coast (???) with the bottom of which the small river of Vègre rolls, which sprinkles vast meadows, formerly occupied by a marsh, from which the depth exceeded 2 meters, in certain parts.
This marsh which extended to north and the North-West over a rather big length, between the rocks, narrowed abruptly towards the south, with the ford of Sapwoods, where by means of a stopping, one could make inflate water, according to the circumstances, in order to make the fortress inaccessible on this side.
On the 3 others faces, the keep was surrounded by dry ditches, 6 to 7 meters of depth.
6 main road ran to a range of arc of its ditches:
- that of Rouez passed by the ford of Sapwoods and Vègreville;
- that of Parennes gained Marmicholian (???) ;
- that known as of the New Pond, touched the places of the Vault and of Belonnière, to the forks patibulaires Fief led, which were drawn up in 2 fields still bearing the names of Large and Small Gibet;
- that of Rouessé Vassé was dénigeait (???) on Vase, by Binelière and the New Houses;
- that of Sillé followed the precedent until Flying, or it was detached some;
- that of Crissé passed to Landière and with the Small crosses, another was detached some with little distance Keep to go on the side of the Saint-Calais hillock by Baudray.
This exceptional state of viability attests at least the importance of the place which, besides its attributions military, was the seat of a court of justice as indicate it its name: “Curiau man in” (???) many titles and the presence of its forks patibulaires.
The ruins of the keep of Courmenant reveal 5 times corresponding to 9th, 11th, 14th, 15th, and 19th centuries; we will treat them separately.
9th century
At the end of the 8th century, the Norman and Bretons threatened the country of the Maine. As of this time, Roland (valiant knight), nephew of Charlemagne, which was to perish with the Bataille of Roncevaux, was made with the guard of the border; it had as a successor his son-in-law Eginard Wido or Guido. The incursions of the Barbarians taking an alarming character, Charlemagne, by a Rescrit of 810, the points where the pirates could most easily penetrate inside the country, and consequently, several fortresses were established on left bank of the Mayenne.
Charles the Bald person renewed the regulations of Charlemagne and it is undoubtedly at the time of its stay to the Mans, towards 867, that it ordered the construction of the keep of Courmenant which, by its situation, in the middle of a group of ways and on the edge of a marsh forming obstacle on the side of the west, answered the conditions of program.
Its Carolingian origin besides is well shown by the character of masonries which remain about it and especially by the absences of the buttresses to the external walls, signs distinctive military castles former to the 11th century, time to which its accessories appear for the first time.
By the terms of the rescrit of Charlemagne and by the circumstances which justified it, one must admit that the keep of Courmenant, like all those of the same time, had to be a fortification carried out with the public funds of the province, and that, consequently, it was a public edifice rather constituting a fortress which a dwelling itself.
In its first form, it represents a quadrilateral of 31 m 18 length out of 18 m 50 of width made up of walls of 1 m 50 to 2 meters thickness, rising with approximately 15 meters height crowned by a covered way, with parapet on each side, without merlon S nor Mâchicoulis;
With share kitchen (???), in the court against the wall in the south, the lodging of the dwelling was reduced to a body of building of a ground floor and a stage, leant with the wall of north. Each horizontal section comprised a room of 15 m 50 length; these rooms communicated between them by a staircase practiced in the thickness of the wall.
These interior buildings which were to be built out of wood, were enlightened on the court. The only opening which reigned in the external walls was the main door, of which there remains still a Jambage and an end of granite lintel, with 6 meters with the top of the bottom of the ditches.
This opening, one could reach of the outside only by means of one elevatory apparatus. One went down in the court by a staircase out of wooden which one grows to recognize sealings.
Only the kitchen had a chimney which one sees part of the pipe in the wall of enclosure of midday.
The other parts were to be heated by means of stoves, used during the Carolingian time , as various reports/ratios of the Missi dominici attest it, having milked at the buildings of the crown, under Charlemagne. The keep remained in this state until the middle of the 11th century. At that time, the Normands are fixed on the ground of Neustrie, called later the Normandy which had been made up in duchy by Charles Simple the, in 912, with the profit of Rollon.
The counts of Maine, initially removable and elective at the 7th century, since the end of the 9th century became hereditary; it is the beginning of the Féodalité. Was the keep of Courmenant still with the hands of the counts at that time? One is unaware of it. In 1051, a count of Maine, or rather an applicant, attracts itself by an imprudent act, the anger of William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, which consequently made a descent in Maine; the event is mentioned by Robert Wace in his Roman of Rou , in these terms:
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“In Ogne (Flowering ash) in enveis many, or it them embali. Then print Domfront by: force 5 meis (month) attacked it.
It is probably with this calamitous circumstance that the keep had its ruin, unless it did not take place in 1064, during the second invasion of frightening the Normands; but we lean for the first date of 1051, because the architectural character of part of the building is clearly likely to show it.
The walls of the west and north were about completely destroyed; those of the south and part of those of the east, only; remained in place, not without being seriously damaged.
The keep of the 9th century was insulated, without any other fortification. The entry of the perimeter on which it was with the place which preserved the name of Portal (???), close to the buildings of the farm, near the way which ran along the marsh.
Its ditches were surrounded by pales sealed in solid masses of rough masonry which one found vestiges. One of them thicker than the others, with the front of the main door, was to receive the post of the weapons of the county.
11th century
One was not long in putting oneself in work for the raising of these ruins. The walls of the quadrilateral which had just been ploughed up or reversed were restored; but this time one bored bays of cross in the external walls, intended to light the apartments which one was going to create, because the building, while preserving its character of fortress, was going to become a residence seigneuriale of certain importance.
The old interior lodging was replaced by a building has and 16 depth meters B which one leant with the septentrional wall of the quadrilateral, and the staircase which was to serve it had to be restored in the wall in the east. This high building of a ground floor and a stage under ground, was composed of 2 rooms to each horizontal section.
Its wall of face on the court ended in the wall of the east, with the right of the main door, which was preserved.
With the front of this door and on part of the thickness of the known as wall, at his end, one establishes a stage making covered in the court, from which one went down to the ground floor by a staircase leant with the wall.
This military entry of a particular kind, was the only one which gave access to the keep of the 11th century. To go up there outside, one will continue to make use of an elevatory system driving with pulleys as at the 9th century; one still sees the hole of one of the Madriers which was used for the operation, it thus did not have there a Pont-levis, itself, at the 11th century, not more than at the 12th century and 13th century.
If one judges some by the many pieces of stone of size out of granite which one finds in the surrounding demolitions and farms, all the bays of the doors and the windows of the interior frontage last being similar to those of crossed west, i.e. of Romanesque architecture.
One of these stones carrying mouldings which was employed at the right-sided of the entry under the vault, and another similar piece, used with the right foot of the barn of the commun runs, had to form the jambs of the main door, with the interior frontage on the court.
From this time, separately the walls enclosing, there remained only the cross wall, in its low part, on a height of approximately 8 meters, above the ground of the court; 2 small openings of under ground in the west; fragments of 2 bays of crossed out of granite, with approximately 7 meters of the ground on vis-a-vis the west, which were used to reconstitute crossings of the gallery and the kitchen, and finally, the staircase in the thickness of the wall of the east.
The chimney of the kitchen is the only one which appears in the walls of the castle of this time, and one cannot be surprised about it, because, at the beginning of the 11th century, one still heated the apartments by means of stoves or apparatuses similar, as at the time of Charlemagne; it was only about the year 1060, that one began with employee the chimneys themselves, of which the use spreads very promptly.
In does the cross wall, between the dining room and the current gallery, one see a bay of a door whose closing affects the ogival form (? ? ?) rudimentary; it had to be bored or modified afterwards, because it is the only one of this kind of architecture which appears in the walls of the Keep before the work of the 14th century.
The walls of the 9th century and the 11th century continued to form a covered way, at their top. These bored Romance bay walls, in the height of the ground floor and the first stage, formed a characteristic and imposing mass.
Always it is that all the stones of size of the keep, without the least mixture of white stones, were out of granite until the 14th century. Except with regard to crossings of the first stage where one made certain mixtures for decoration.
The keep of the 9th century with its characteristic crossings out of granite and white stone, is one of most remarkable among those marks the fusion of the Art néo-Latin and the Romance style itself. With these titles, it is a historical movement, either only regional, but absolutely national.
Largest although we can wish him, it is to remain in loneliness, with far from human passions.
After the conquest of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror, the Duchy of Normandy, though attached to the Crown of France, became English by affinity since its Ducs was at the same time kings of England; from there of the interminable wars between the 2 royaumes1.
The hostilities after having been intermittent became permanent at the end of the 14th century between the 2 nations, and the France was invaded by the islanders. The Maine, several times taken and taken again is, as the remainder of the France, in permanent revolt against the islander who weighed so a long time on the destiny of our country, where it left ineffaceable traces.
Courmenant, then occupied by the lords of the same name and combined with the Family of Tussé, is still besieged once towards 1369, by wild the Knolles (see also), lieutenant of Edouard, king d' Angleterre; its ruin was almost complete.
The wall in the west with the front of the court, sapped by its base, fell into the ravine and rolled to the edge of the old way; but it was only découronnée about its middle, so that the bays of crossings characteristic of the 11th century were not entirely destroyed.
The walls of north and the east underwent collapses of place in place, and the staircase reigning in the thickness of this one was once again about destroyed.
The wall of face, in the interior of the court, disappeared, except some parts of its foundations which one could find in 1860.
The remains of the 11th century and the 12th century, unearthed in the debris, are rather numerous: they consist mainly of fragments of capitals, (figure 3) of low-reliefs and of mouldings, without we being able to determine to which part of the building they belonged.
We would incline to believe that they come from a vault which could exist on the site of that which still exists and which goes back at the end of the 15th century or to the beginning of the 16th century.
14th century
November 10th 1380, Louis, wire of the duke of Anjou and Maine, wrote with Pierre Saynel, his lieutenant with the Mans:
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“It required there to provide for chasteaux and fortresses and towns of our 10 countries with sufficiency of guet and guard and repairs to resist the bad processes and violements of the enemies who, so like one says, come doûtres country to make large dommaige”.
The same act prescribes the reperation of the ditches and the notched Muraille S. It is undoubtedly pursuant to this ordinance that the restoration of the keep of Courmenant was undertaken.
According to the plan which board III gives, one gave the interior buildings about in the state where they were before their destruction.
The heights of the stages were not changed, because the corbels of the beams of the 11th century were found in the cross wall; those on the side of north last being replaced out of white stone.
All the bays of external crossings were given in state, without anything to change with their first ordinance, and one restores all the demolished or notched walls; so that outside, the building remained Romance as it was at the 12th century.
Inside, it was not to be the same about it; one establishes chimneys for the first time, and these chimneys were Gothic according to the use of time.
Board IV gives the rise and the profiles of the one of it, that of the big room in north, converted into museum, nowadays, and which remained intact.
It is of this time that date first establishment of the Pont-levis, with its Rainures and its Gothic door which one could find in a firm neighbor, that of Bougonnières, and who is deposited in the court like museum piece:
The statue of Saint Denis, which is deposited there between its Piédroits, is 11th century; it comes from the church of the Ferté-Macé (Orne).
The door of the 14th century was formed with pieces of granite coming from the demolitions from the building from the 11th century. The choice of this stone nature was well justified like more in hillock with the attacks of the enemy.
The keep of the 14th century, correct month that of the 11th century, from the point of view architectural, did not lose anything of its importance.
It is on this date that it is necessary to defer, undoubtedly, the creation of the roadway reigning with the front of the keep and across the old marsh; it is at least what seems indicated by the 2 doors valves of the Gouffre, bandaged with Ogives, represented by the board V. One of these doors valves was remade with semicircular arch.
Independently of the question of access, this roadway had the aim of forming a fall and a water reserve for the Moulin S, which last being create at that time, because the Cartulaire of Champagne which mentions the Moulin of Cohardy, remains dumb on those of Courmenant, before the 14th century.
The expensive work of the end of the 14th century was not to be of long life. The war which continued was not a moment not stopped until the middle of the 15th century; it is about the year 1417 that she redoubled intensity.
The fortified towns of the Saosnois, of Balloon, Beaumont, Fresnay and others, were taken by the English and soon taken again by Ambroise de Loré. At that time, the keep of Courmenant had to undergo severely testeds, whose however no title makes mention.
Its total ruin however does not appear to have taken place before 1427, after disastrous the Bataille of Verneuil, where perished most of the French nobility; it is at that time that the bloodiest combat in the country took place.
The wall of midday, which hitherto had remained so to speak intact, was reversed in most of its height on half its length, to the pipe of smoke of the 9th century. Under the effort of the Sap and lever, which rolled in the ditch, while crushing besieging and besieged, which one found cranium fragments and jaws, in spoil, in 1860. The wall of the west restored at the 14th century, was reversed one second time basic in roof, with the front of the court, and the surplus resisted only to some extent the fury of besieging. One of crossings characteristic of the 11th century and two small closings of under ground only remained whole, or about.
The Muraille of north undergoes the same fate, as well as part of that of the east. The Pont-levis fell under the blows from the demolition contracters and the door opening to Colonnettes at the 14th century was thrown to the debris.
In his fury the enemy supplemented the disaster by delivering the interiors to the flames, whose intensity twisted to the fittings of the doors. Clusters of ashes and calcined stones, that one found while digging of the foundations of the tower, in the North-East, revealed these event, last episode of the military history of the keep.
From this time it does not remain, with share the repaired walls, that 3 chimneys, of which one, previously reproduced board IV, is in the gallery; the 2 others, which are damaged, remain attached to the cross wall, in the attic in north. The crowning of a Jambage of the one of this one is deposited like the museum piece, in the court, with the right of the Pont-levis.
15th century
Constrained to the retirement, the English turn over in their island, and the Maine could finally enjoy peace spoken hereafter, described the Château in these terms:
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“the chasteau and houses seigneuriale of Courmenant is composed of 2 rooms haultes, attic above, with the court in inside of which there are 2 stables and a puiz. Known as the slate fors chasteau covered the kitchen which is covered with essentes; which chasteau is closed with ditches (? ? ?) and Drawbridge, which is for the majority in ruisnes”.
The keep of the 15th century had as an appendix a vault placed under the patronage of Saint Nicolas; one still sees the statue of the stone Saint there, making during that of the virgin; all the 2 are carried by stone corbels sealed in the wall, above the stone furnace bridge also, which remained in place; blazons of the house of Vaige, about which we will speak hereafter are painted on these corbels.
The vault carrying, by its style of architecture, the character of the 15th century, had to replace of it another tonic at the 11th century or 14th century, because the feudal residences of these times all were equipped with it; it measured 8 m 50 out of 5 m 85 in work.
Is the main door, in the opposed face, on the side of the Keep, low with warhead, with jambs and clotheshangers out of white stone without mountings and ornaments other than simple a cavet (? ? ?) on the edge of the jambs and closing.
Figure 5 gives the drawing of the lock opposed on the casement in oak; this lock is well, as the door of crossed building, style of the end of the 15th century.
In the pinion of face is a niche for the small bell; and, at midday, one sees small, cross hones some, practiced in the thickness of the side wall, between the retable and a chimney who is also out of stone.
The ground of the sanctuary, close to the furnace bridge, is elevated of 0,35 meter by Madriers formant goes, which are about completely rotted; the tiling was in terra cotta squares of 0,12 meters.
The repercussions of the vault out of wooden, rest on a sand pit in covered profiled. The facing of the walls, inside, were covered with character mural which one sees more given traces.
With the top of the vault an escutcheon was nailed carrying the Armes of Vaige: of azure with 3 gold rafters; and the same blazon started from a cross of mouths is painted on the corbels which carry the statues about which we already spoke.
On the amoncelées ruins of the Keep, it was necessary to reconstitute a residence, if modest that it could be;
The 4 walls of part of the old room B, on the court, though découronnés, remained in place on a height of approximately 8 meters; they were used but it was necessary to lower the ground and to reduce the height of the floors to reconstitute a ground floor and a stage in this space, without being obliged to raise the walls which, in regard to their thickness, had required large defenses, that one was not able to make after misfortunes of the war.
One stopped the Croisées with warheads on the court to replace them by small bays with pilot wheels, according to the style of the time and according to the reduced heights of the apartments.
Consequently reason, one will remove the Romance Croisée in the west, with the front of the dining room current to substitute for it that which exists, by establishing it for level less raised, also in style of the time. One still sees in the wall of the fragments of the old granite stone closing of the 11th century.
Thus the reduced building was composed of 2 parts and a cabinet on each floor, served by a spiral staircase, out of wood, badly arranged that one laid out to with it.
The Pont-levis was restored while making use of the grooves of the 14th century and by lowering the main door which had already been lowered to this last time. The chimneys of the parts were made up with the remains of those of the 14th century which were torn off cross wall in which they were placed on a higher level.
The door opening of Drawbridge which still existed in 1860, was made of large stones of size in Granite of the 11th century, and of odd white stones of the 14th century, coming from the demolitions; this bay closing was placed at the door of the new tower.
Space between the Cross wall and the Muraille external of north, where was the complement of the dwelling at the 14th century, remained empty until the 19th century, it formed a kind of ditch where were piled up fragments of Murailles, that one cleared towards 1830, to make there a cattle shed which was to disappear in 1860. Old kitchen, in the court, though not having more pipe of smoke, in the upper part of the enclosing wall, was restored with a furnace having its chimney, on crawling of the roof, in the court.
The sale contract of 1609, of which it will be without one knowing with which alliance it milked.
As the Famille of Vaige was in possession of the Fief of Courmenant only in 1502, there can be doubt, as for the date of the erection of the building, unless it is not supposed that the Blason S were illustrated there afterwards; because, the monument carries well the character of the Gothic style of the end of the 15th century. As the transformation of the style was slower with the religious monuments than with civil constructions, it could be made that the Chapelle of Courmenant had been set up under François Ier, without taking account of the style rebirth which had just been inaugurated.
The sale contract of 1609 speaks about the vault and dependences of the Keep in these terms:
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“the closed farmyard of walls in inside of which there is a vault covered out of slate, founded of 2 masses per week, by the lord of Courmenant in which runs there is a house called the house (? ? ?), which makes the fence of the aforesaid short partly; icelle house (? ? ?) of two rooms where there are chimneys and attic, above and a cellar below, with a cattle shed with the end and after the aforementioned cellar which is used to put the horses and near icelle there is a maisonnette with establer the pigs; whole in ruine1”.
It is end of the 15th century or at the beginning of the 16th century which date the construction of the aforesaid the new house and surrounding wall of the low court, reported in the preceding title. The 2 barns were built only about the year 1620 or 1625.
The surrounding wall of the low court left the south-eastern angle of the Château, gained the vault by an elbow, ran until beyond building of the barns close which it passed for, while forming a new elbow with right angle, was going to join the new house, at the point where was the entry that one named the gate. These new external provisions made Château Féodal a kind of Gentilhommière doubled to a rural exploitation which took a character even more accentuated after breadth meeting of the stronghold to the Chatellerie de Vassé.
According to certain traditions, the keep would have had to support a new seat, at the time of the religious wars, the end of the 16th century. What can give a pretense of vraisemblability to the tradition.
It is the attitude of a member of the Famille of Vase which was burning a Huguenot and which defended its religion by the weapons.
Though deposed, the Keep continued to be inhabited by its Seigneur S, rather misérablement admittedly until in 1609, time to which it was acquired by the Famille of Vase, which made of it a kind of house of hiring.
However, it was still court of justice in 1621; it is what results from a declaration of this time, reproduced at piece-rates justifications, hereafter. Titles show it to us held in hiring 1775 by a sior Bouvet, and later 1789 by Laguilé, his/her son-in-law, which sub-lease with maisonniers. One of those, the sior Garden, of poor that it was, became spontaneously enough rich to give a rather complete instruction to his/her children, of which one was notary of Rouez. It is said that this tenant had found, a treasure in the keep, at the beginning of the 18th century, which is probable.
The titles of Courmenant which, since the annexation of the Stronghold, was laid out in the files of the Château of Vase, were burned by order of the government, the 20 nivôse 1793, the feastday of the reason.
The vault, which was then with the presentation of the Seigneur of Vase and whose income appears in Hen for 67 pounds remained delivered to the worship, at least temporarily until in 1789.
The bordering of the vault located at less than 150 meters, of the keep, constituted by its income the emoluments of the chaplain, who placed at the village of the Landière.
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*En 1791, the objects being used for exerts worship, were hidden in the bottom of the staircase reigning in the thickness of the wall of the Keep. These objects were found, towards 1826 in bad condition.
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*Le stoup, removed by the sior Laguille tenant of the keep and its dependences in 1792, was returned later by its family; it is deposited in the museum.
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*La chalice was collected by the clergy for the church of Rouez, where it is today.
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*La small bell removed in 1832, by the sior Mauny, agent of a company which one called the black band, was not restored.
The sale of the keep took place in 1792, pursuant to the ordinance in relation to with the goods of the emigrants.
The new purchaser, who also had just bought the mills, made his residence of the old buildings of the home Féodal, of which it put the court in communication with the mills, by boring the wall in the west.
After him his/her son-in-law made build a cattle shed and a Grenier, between the old walls, in north, on the site of the part of the building destroyed at the 15th century, under the current gallery.
The unhappy keep had arrived at the last degree of lowering; it was used as career for constructions of the country; one even spoke to cut down the remainder of his Murailles; that one judged useless for the poor wretch dwelling that it constituted.
Then, the filled ditches with half were filled of undergrowth and wild shrubs; the districts of reversed walls which lay in the medium had become the residence of the grass snakes; the Owl X, the Owl S, the Sea eagle S and other night-birds occupied the breaches and the cracks of the Muraille S still upright, and the Chauves mouse had taken possession of the old staircase, mainly covered by pieces of walls which while falling had clung there.
These ruins blackened by the time and often wrapped by clouds of corbels which one still names the Couas of Sourche, had a sinister aspect and that one approached only with one certain fear, because the dwelling remained hidden between the old women Muraille S.
Here is the state in which was the keep of Courmenant when François Joseph Liger, became owner about it, by acquisition and heritage, in 1857. The restoration was undertaken almost at once by it.
19th century
First aid of the new owner was to clear the ditches, to close the waste grounds which surrounded the keep, to trace a park on all the space which one could then lay out and to make the first plantations there, according to the ordinary method in similar circumstances.
One carried out then the demolition of the stable S and the Roof-with-pigs, which dishonoured the court; however, the Boulangerie was preserved, on a purely provisional basis.
Later the interior building of the 15th century which fell in ruin, was shaved, so that there remained nothing any more but the large walls external of the Forteresse and the Cross wall of the 11th century, which had resisted all their attacks and which still rose with more than 15 meters height starting from the bottom of the basement. Then, the large external walls which, everywhere, were at least damaged were supplemented according to the heights than were going to require the project of restoration, of which here the plan (board X).
Besides some additions represented by the tower and the fore-part, for which the need imposed itself for the needs, the project is, by the fact, the reproduction of the Keep of the 11th century.
The large body of building, double in-depth, was restored on the site of that which existed at the 11th century and the 14th century; its dimensions, between the large enclosing walls are of 15 meters out of 15 m 50;
- it is composed at midday,
- of a full ground floor on ground,
- of 2 square stages
- of a roof;
- in north,
- of a ground floor on basement
- of an attic.
The ground floor, at midday, contains, the hall, the staircase, the dining room, the office and the kitchen with its storage room.
The ground floor, in north, reigning in only one part over the entire length of the building, constitutes the gallery museum, in which was preserved the chimney of the 14th century and part of the corbels which received the beams.
The first stage, at midday is divided like the ground floor which reigns with the lower part; it contains: the small living room, the large living room on the dining room and the library on the kitchen.
The second stage is divided into three rooms to sleep, including one with large toilets, two others with their storage room and wardrobe.
The roof contains the attics and the rooms of servants, without chimneys. The levels of the ground on the court and the first floor, for the mid thickness of the building, at midday, adoptees at the 15th century, were preserved for the reason which had to be respected the chimney and crossing, established in the large walls, like object of architecture and archeology.
The levels of the floor of the bottom and the high floor of the mid thickness of the building, at north much higher than those of the mid thickness of the same building, at midday, were preserved in their first state of the 11th century and the 14th century, shown by the corbels which remained in place; so that one assembles the three steps to communicate dining room and kitchen with the gallery.
The five crossed gallery, in the west and north, were restored in the walls of the keep following the model of the 11th century, which one had found the elements in the remaining parts. The chimney, of the 14th century, was preserved. In the library, on the first floor, the chimney of the 15th century, practiced in the large cross wall, had to be destroyed to make place with the pipe of that of the kitchen which, at that time, was with the state of cold part. A new chimney had to be established in the partition-wall with the right of the circular staircase; figure 6 gives the image of it. The sculptures of its jambs represent allegorical animals and the subjects of the Fable of Phèdre reproduced by the Fountain.
The crossing of this part, in the large wall, in the east, dating from the 15th century, being too low and too narrow, was remade in the style of the 12th century, with a post on the medium, whose capital represents a dream, figure 7.
The frontage of the building, on the court, going back to 1860 - 1875, represented by board XI, is made up in the Romance style of the 12th century.
The geminated door of the ground floor, opening in the fore-part is provided with engaged posts, whose capitals represent fantastic figures. The three crossed first stage are also geminated, that is to say with committed and ordered posts historiés capitals; maybe with piers (? ? ?) chamfered and decorated sculptures.
On the second floor, the crossing of right-hand side is with three arcades with historiés capitals. Both crossed of left are geminated with similar posts and capitals. Before body is simply bored of an eye of ox, and is decorated of a blazon.
The carved corbels cornice of entablature represent figures and various subjects.
High relief of the medium, reigning on the back body, and which does not have less than 2 m 80 top out of 1 m 80 of width, just as the other high relief, with the lower part, representing the lords and owners of Courmenant. Before external body, in the south, formant covered on the old wall of the Keep contains the housing of the gatekeeper, a part of boxroom, a staircase to go up on the terrace, a vault for the entry of the WC, a sucker and a bathroom.
The frontage is made up in the direction of the architectonic aspirations of the 9th century, practical applications by Charlemagne, which was so to speak the founder of the keep of Courmenant.
The closing of door opening, in large Roman apparatus is the bottom of the composition which, as for the remainder, contains the confused elements of the Etruscan art and of the Roman Byzantine.
The Indian breath which dominated in the Etruscan art there is not neglected. Work is represented by figure 8, on which one sees, at the bottom, part of the interior frontage and the puit close to which our clean sihoulette is seen. Figure 9 gives the same ordinance Roman Byzantine, but with the closed and decorated door its fittings.
Figure 10 indicates the drawing of the abacus which on the preceding figure, is represented only on the floor of épanetage.
Isn't this simple composition, but studied, without interest from the point of view of the history of art, by that even as it makes the type initial of the Romanesque art which, for the 11th century substitutes the Colonnette S engaged for the posts isolated from the Byzantine , by dividing the tori (? ? ?) and by cutting out the abacus by ressants, so as to form a beginning of hemicycle for large arcade or door openings, system imagined at the 11th century.
Board XII gives the indication of the frontage to the east, such as it is currently. One sees there the breaches of the drawbridge of the 15th century and an end of the lintel of the door of the 9th century.
All the part of the wall of the Fortress, on the left by looking at the Drawbridge, is 9th century. The part, on the right, comprises some remainders of the same time; but the surplus belongs, for almost totality, at the 14th century and 15th century, apart from covered surfaces of coatings which date from the 19th century, just as certain parts easy to distinguish by their hollow block, close to the tower.
On the left Drawbridge, with surroundings ten meters of the bottom of the ditch, one sees in the wall, one of the holes which were used to receive the Madriers to which the elevatory machines of the IXe were attached and 11th centuries.
Board XIII represents vis-a-vis the west, in its actual position. The part on the right by looking at the frontage was almost entirely remade with 14th and 15th centuries, the filling of the breach, close to the interior building is even 19th century as it was known as previously.
The remainder, on the left, is 11th century by the base until the height of the second stage, with the right of the dining room and the living room, and of the 19th century to the front of the gallery, following heights which vary between the level of the support of crossed and bases it building with the corner.
However, in the content of the 11th century, it is necessary to distinguish the establishment from cross from the dining room and the living room, which date from the 15th century. With the one of the Oven walls of crossed dining room, one to still see remainders of granite closing of the 11th century.
With first crossed gallery; in the west, one can distinguish the right foot and the departure from the closing of the same time; these are the fragments of the base of the Colonnette, remained in place, which gave the means of restoring crossings of the gallery accurately, in their first state; what is not of no importance for the history of art, because these crossings do not have the similar ones, where rather the equal ones; they form a type Romano-Byzantine which, later, was to be made profitable in the Romance Style and even in that of the Renaissance, by his Croisillon S. the pilot wheels were not employed at the Byzantine Romains and ; their adjustment in a purely Romance bay is already a remarkable fact.
The vault remains in the state where it was, but it was disengaged from the material clusters which surrounded it. The park was creates in the enclosure of the Keep and the fields and gardens of the two firm neighbors who were acquired successively. The buildings close to the castle became the communes and a new farm had to be built at a certain distance, in order to isolate the Keep and to move away from its walls the causes from fire. Thus, the ruins of the Keep which were going to disappear, could be saved, for the illustration of the department of the the Sarthe, which does not have any more interesting monument from the point of view of the Histoire and the Archéologie.
These ruins are not without profit for the history of the private life, with the Moyen-âge, they show us the structure of a Château strong, under the Carolingiens, entire reserved for defense and where the dwelling is only one lodging, in opposition to the sumptuous residences of the Roman epoch.
They initiate us with the intimate life of a large lord of the 11th century, which, for any housing is satisfied with some rooms without chimneys, of which one was common to all the inhabitants of the residence. Its thick Murailles is the safeguard of safety; from day and night, it is on the breach: it is the permanent danger. Also, all that is luxury or even of simple comfortable he is banished warlike residence, open image of its personal authority. Outwards as in inside the spirit is with the combat.
The life interior of the lord of the 14th century hardly differs from that from the lord from the 11th century. The home is always in a strengthened state; but the tendencies towards the comfortable one are shown there in a more or less apparent way. The rooms are divided, one adapts chimneys to it; for the elevatory machine, one substituted the Pont-levis; but the residence does not cease being a Forteresse. The parquet floor S and the Tapis were unknown; the winter, the surface of the parts was covered with straw.
The residence of the lord of the manor of the 15th century attests the lowering of the Féodalité which, having lost its resources and its authority, is placed under the conditions of sordid economy, without démordre of the show of the size of last times. Its walls are découronnées, but he wants to still have a Pont-levis, though he him serf more with nothing, after the year 1450.
At all the times, the Castle X, not more than the particular houses do not comprise distribution itself; the room to be slept was used at the same time as living room and sometimes even of dining room; one passed from a part in the other without the anteroom being known.
The Château X of the Moyen-âge presented less comfort than our residences of gardeners.
It is not, undoubtedly not randomly which is due the application of certain characteristic names to the places and farms which surrounded the court of justice of Courmenant, and whose principal ones are Flying, Liaudière, Picardière, Believe it, Biparfond, Crimaudière and Bougonnière.
Its lords and owners
The oldest document written with regard to the lords of Courmenant, is not former to the 12th century.
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1178 . Does a title of 1178 mention a Fulcone of Courmenant, which died in 1210 and was ensépulturé in the abbey of Champagne, it lived consequently more this years after the foundation of the feudal castle on the ruins of the regional fortress, and could thus be only the second or third descendant of the lord in favor which the stronghold had been creates, if one judges some by various fragments of sculpture, found on the archstones of a port, in the demolitions, its weapons would have been represented by six fesans (? ? ?), of which one at a peak; but there is doubt. In any case, we reconstitute as exactly the low-relief, as possible, by figure 11. At the date of 1188, the cartulaire of Champagne mentions a Fulco de Roé , which could be the same one well as Fulcone of Courmenant.
- 1212 . Guillaume de Courmenant, quoted like judges in 1212, of an agreement as a Gauthier, prior of Vivoin, and Bertherot Baril, passed before the court of Beaumont the Viscount. Fulchone having died in 1210, Guillaume could have had the stronghold of Courmenant only during two years, at most, since one finds the same stronghold with the hands of Foulques, hereafter, in 1214.
- 1214. Foulques de Courmenant, which acquires abbot of Bellebranche all that the abbey had take place of Tremblay, Hangottière, Ingrande (in Parenne) and Epinardière in Rouessé. In the obituaire of Chartreuse of the Park, one reads: “ October XXIX obiit dominus besnot cum uxores, and homo and Fulques de Courmenant which dederunt nobis XXe redibites super Courmenant ”. The indication of the year misses. It is well in Foulques of 1214 that applies the note of the obituaire since the precedent Fulchone had its funerary inscription in the obituaire of the abbey of Champagne, to the date of 1210.
- 1216. Guillaume de Courmenant, by an agreement made in 1216, with the castle of the Hermitage in front of Guillaume de Roches, Seneshal of Anjou, between the châpitre of Saint-Pierre of the court of Mans and him Guillaume de Courmenant, one difficultée is distinct. There was a lawsuit between them on the rights of use and grazing ground of wood named Riboul, which was to be between Parennes and Tennis. The cantors Senior and Sirs of Saint Pierre of the court, affirm on their word of priests of Parennes, since the bridge of Tennis until Parennes, right of grazing grounds and to take wood, for their use, except the oak. Guillaume de Courmenant gives up his claims. Foulques de Courmenant, older brother of Guillaume, and several other knights sign like witnesses. We owe to this interesting quotation with Mr. the Viscount of Elbenne.
- 1234 . Gaufridus of Courmenant which, appears it, was at the same time lord of the court of Coil ( curia Rouelli or Revelli that one has, wrongly, confused with courtarevelt or Coûtaruel, proceeding of curtis , “court, enclosed”, and not of curia which is “court of justice”). Courtavel was another stronghold which Ci its history particular not having any relationship with the court of Coil. It could be made that the court of Coil ( curiarouelli ) was the court of justice of the country, under the Carolingians, whereas Courmenant was a fortress, and that, in XIe century, when the Keep became a feudal castle, one transported there the prerogatives of the court of Coil, which had thus been able to remain attached to the stronghold of Courmenant, having as we said supra, his forks patibulaires. The court of Coil, less did not cease remaining with the separated stronghold, but without high nor low justice. One finds it, later, detached of Courmenant on the obituaire of Chartreuse of the Park, one reads: “ December XVII obiit gaufridus of Courmenant ” the year is not indicated, but it cannot be former to 1237 nor after 1253.
- 1237. Geoffroy de Courmenant, who was apparently the same one as Gaufridus, gave to Chartreuse of the Park in charnie, six wine sums, to annually take the day before and the following day Saint-Denis, on his ground of Courmenant, Jean, baron of Sillé-the-Guillaume confirms this gift, on December 31st, 1426. This title teaches us that there were vines with Courmenant into 12371.
- 1253. Fouques, lord of Courmenant, knight, wire or nephew of the precedent.
- 1267 . Fouques de Courmenant, which perhaps the same one as the precedent.
- 1282 . Foques de Courmenant, which was apparently the Fouques son.
- 1301 . Do Foulques de Courmenant, wire of Foques, form (? ? ?) Parliament of a judgment of the court of the count of Maine like having refused to pay the assistance-survey for the marriage of Isabelle de Valois; according to the cartulaire of cauture (? ? ?), p. 234. The Champagne obituaire mentions the death of Fouques or Foulques de Courmenant, at the seventh days of the Nones of May, without mention of the year. The obituaire of Chartreuse of the Park also mentions Fouque de Courmenant, dead on October 29th without indication of year. Fouques, holder of the stronghold in 1301, had married Isabelle de Neuvilette of which it had:
- 1°Isabelle of Courmenant.
- 2°Fouques of Courmenant which lived ancore in 1362 died without hoirs.
- 3°Jehanne of Courmenant.
- 2°Fouques of Courmenant which lived ancore in 1362 died without hoirs.
- a title of March 26th, 1302 mentions Jean de Maule, knight, of a powerful family of Maine, which would have had of the chief of his Jehanne wife of wood with verniette and a revenue with Rouez, to the stronghold of Courmenant. It is would Jehanne be the girl of Fouques, from which we come to speak?
- 1305 . A Guillaume de Courmenant is prior of Saint-Victeur, close to Fresnay. After the death of Fouques, lord of Courmenant, the stronghold passed, as usufruct, the hands of his wife who follows:
- 1330 . Isabelle de Neuvilette, rams of Courmenant, which died about 1335. Isabelle de Courmenant, her daughter, him succédat.
- 1340 . After Isabelle, Jehanne, her daughter, inherited the stronghold Courmenant, though it had appeared more natural to see Fouque, its brother, to take of it possession, it can have the one there gap. In 1362, same Fouques, brother of Isabelle and Jehanne de Courmenant, which was one of the executors of the latter. In an any state of chaose, Isabelle and Fouques, her brother, were tent and uncle de Guillaume de Tussé, who lived in 1382. Towards 1345, Pierre de Tussé becomes lord of Courmenant by his marriage with Jehanne of the mêm name. He was oldest son of Hugues de Tussé and Alix d' Anthenoise of a famous family of Maine already allied to the lords of Courmenant. He made the war of Saintonge, under the command of monseigneur de Craon, in 1351; its death was not after 1360. Of his marriage with Jehanne de Courmenant, Pierre de Tussé had two children.
- 1° Jehan de Tussé, knight, chamberlain of the king, governor of own way, married to Jehanne de Juillé (1380-1417), died without hoirs.
- 2° Guillaume which became lord of Courmenant after the death of his/her mother.
- 1362, Jehanne which, in its will declares that it is widowed of Pierre de Tussé in 1362 sister of Isabelle and Fouques de Courmenant.
- 1370-1382. Guillaume de Tussé and of Courmenant that Jehanne qualifies “its heir” in his will to 1362.
- 1212 . Guillaume de Courmenant, quoted like judges in 1212, of an agreement as a Gauthier, prior of Vivoin, and Bertherot Baril, passed before the court of Beaumont the Viscount. Fulchone having died in 1210, Guillaume could have had the stronghold of Courmenant only during two years, at most, since one finds the same stronghold with the hands of Foulques, hereafter, in 1214.
- 1°Guillaume from Tussé
- 2°Béatrix of Tussé
- 3°Catherine, nun of Etival in 1390, prioress of the Fontaine Saint-Martin in 1428 and 1429; died abbess of Etival in 1440.
- 4°Jehan of Tussé, escuyer, executor of his brother in 1405, died without hoirs in Paris on December 3rd, 1405.
- 5°Maris of Tussé, woman of Jean de Montfaucon in 1387.
- 2°Béatrix of Tussé
- a title of 1382 fact mention of Jean de Quatrebarbes, lord of the Key and Antoigné, which founded the priory of Thimble-the-Vivien at that time, like having married Marguerite of Antwerp, rams of Courmenant, girl of Jehan d' Auvers and Renee Thorin, widow in 1405. This Marguerite d' Auvers remaria with Geoffroy de Courceriers. The error is unexplainable, because in 1382, Courmenant was incontestably in the family of Tussé.
- 1385 . Jehanne d' Aillières, rams of Tussé and of Courmenant, has the stronghold that Guillaume her husband had bequeathed to him, as usufruct.
- 1392 . Guillaume de Tussé, seignuer of the guierche, Courmenant, Aillères, the Pond and Villiers, oldest son of Guillaume de Tussé and Jehanne d' Aillères, inherits the stronghold after the death of his mère2. By contract of November 27th, 1393, he married Florie of Lignières, in Berry, of which he had:
- 1° Jehane de Tussé, heiress of Guillaume de Neuvillette, married to Guillaume de Sourches in 1413, whose marriage was born Jehan de Sourches. Tussé which married Louis de Bueil. Jehane de Tussé which married in second wedding Baudoin de Champagne, to dir of Tussé, captain of Mans, of which it did not have a child; she died in 1458.
- 2° Marguerite de Tussé, which married Michel de Ferrière, knight, lord of Montfort Rotrou, in first wedding, and Jehan de Meurdrac says Bobes, in second wedding, following Mr. Boulay of Meurthe.
- 3° Marie de Tussé, woman of Luc Legroux, knight, lord of Brestel, whose son Louis Legroux was substituted for the names and weapons of Tussé.
- 4° Philippe de Tussé which was nun.
- 5° Catherine de Tussé, also heiress of Guillaume de Neuvilette, married Lancelot d' Andigné, knight, seignuer of Roez and Angrie about 1426. She died in 1446 by leaving four girls. Guillaume de Tussé and of Courmenant, died in 1407. He had given to his wife, by testamentary provision of June 6th, 1405, as usufruct to hold place of dowry to him, the grounds of Courmenant and of Villiers, he was buried in the abbey of Champagne.
- 2° Marguerite de Tussé, which married Michel de Ferrière, knight, lord of Montfort Rotrou, in first wedding, and Jehan de Meurdrac says Bobes, in second wedding, following Mr. Boulay of Meurthe.
- 1385 . Jehanne d' Aillières, rams of Tussé and of Courmenant, has the stronghold that Guillaume her husband had bequeathed to him, as usufruct.
- 1460 . November 11th, one finds it in the possession of Jehan d' Ingrande, escuyer, lord of Ingrande of St-Martin de Villeclose and Bidinière, brother of Jehanne d' Ingrande, married to Guy de Champereviers, lord of plessis of Auvers. Jehan d' Ingrande was one of the heirs-at-law to the house of Tussé, by Marie d' Andigné his wife, girl of Lancelot d' Andigné and Catherine de Tussé contracted about the year 1426. From this marriage had been born:
- 1° Marie d' Andigné, about which it has just been spoken.
- 2° Jehanne d' Andigné, married on May 29th, 1454, in Guyon de Clinchamp, lord of Busardière.
- 3° Marguerite d' Andigné, married on November 14th, 1456 with Alain Levasseur, lord of Cogniers.
- 4° Mahout, woman of Jacques de Vaige, escuyer, lord of Vaige about 1460.
- 5° Rene d' Andigné, escuyer, lord of the known as place and Angrie.
- 2° Jehanne d' Andigné, married on May 29th, 1454, in Guyon de Clinchamp, lord of Busardière.
- 1° Marie d' Andigné, about which it has just been spoken.
- 1° Guyon of Escotais
- 2° Anne of Escotais, woman of Fontenaille, lord of Montgenard;
- 3° Jehanne of Escotais, woman of Jacques de Cochefilet, lord of Bretonvilliers, in Pole.
- 2° Anne of Escotais, woman of Fontenaille, lord of Montgenard;
Sources
- François Liger (1819 - 1907), the Keep of Courmenant, its origins, its lords and owners, his museum (title alternate the Keep of Courmenant in Coil , Paris: Champion, 1901. In-8°, 223 p. + figures.
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