Some history of Montcavrel
For the first time we find a Lord of Montcavrel in a text of 1071. Foulques seems to be the head of the Montcavrel family. After him comes Enguerran I, one of the great Lords of the Court of Boulogne.
The Montcavrel family finally disappeared on the battlefield of Agincourt (October 25, 1415) with the two brothers Jean and Rasse de Montcavrel. Through marriage, the seigniory was attributed to Aymon de Monchy who restored the château after it was devastated by the English. He also led the construction of the church of Emy, that later became the village of Montcavrel.
Later, Antoine de Monchy (1569-1587) repaired the damage caused to the château and removed the fortifications that were no longer necessary. The Monchy were rich and powerful lords, but successive wars caused their ruin. Between 1561 and 1566, their seignory was confiscated. Jean-Baptiste de Monchy, who died in 1690, finally sold his marquisate to his brother-in-law Louis-Charles de Mailly. The Mailly didn't live in Montcavrel as they belonged to the nobility at court. However, Louis III de Mailly (1708-1764) welcomed in his feudal residence the Tsar Pierre Le Grand during his stay in France.
The Montcavrel family finally disappeared on the battlefield of Agincourt (October 25, 1415) with the two brothers Jean and Rasse de Montcavrel. Through marriage, the seigniory was attributed to Aymon de Monchy who restored the château after it was devastated by the English. He also led the construction of the church of Emy, that later became the village of Montcavrel.
Later, Antoine de Monchy (1569-1587) repaired the damage caused to the château and removed the fortifications that were no longer necessary. The Monchy were rich and powerful lords, but successive wars caused their ruin. Between 1561 and 1566, their seignory was confiscated. Jean-Baptiste de Monchy, who died in 1690, finally sold his marquisate to his brother-in-law Louis-Charles de Mailly. The Mailly didn't live in Montcavrel as they belonged to the nobility at court. However, Louis III de Mailly (1708-1764) welcomed in his feudal residence the Tsar Pierre Le Grand during his stay in France.
Later, Louis III's debts increased and he finally lost his fortune. His two last successors, Louis IV de Mailly (1764-1767) and Louis-Joseph-Auguste de Mailly (1767-1810). After her marriage to Prince Pie-Auguste de Bavière, Louis-Joseph de Mailly's granddaughter (Louis-Joseph de Mailly had been Lord of Montcavrel) bore the Duke Maximilien-Joseph de Bavière (December 4, 1808). On September 9, 1829, he married Louise Wilhelmine, the royal princess of Bavaria. They had eight children, one of them was the Duchess Elisabeth (born on December 24, 1837). She became Empress of Austria and was know as "Sissi". In the meantime, during the French Revolution, the castle was looted, the coats of arms and archives were destroyed. On April 10, 1795, the castle was sold to Antoine Bourdrelle, the former farmer'son to the castle. In 1813, a few walls were destroyed. With the materials, a new central building was constructed in 1842. For eighteen years, Montcavrel had been one of the National Sheepfolds created by king Louis-Philippe. Between 1862 and 1931, it was owned by the Minet family. Sold many times, it was badly treated by some of its Owners. But today, the château is being restored.
Cartes Postales
L'église de Montcavrel
Normalement, on ne devrait pas visiter l’église de Montcavrel car un arrêté municipal en interdit l’entrée pour cause de menace d’effondrement de la voûte. Curieusement, la porte n’était pas fermée et je me suis dit que ce serait surprenant que la voûte s’effondre précisément pendant les quelques minutes que je passerais dans l’église.
Il est vrai que le transept est entièrement fissuré, qu’une partie des plâtres est tombée, jonchant le sol de débris et laissant voir la charpente, et que le bâtiment n’inspire guère confiance. Il ne reste d’ailleurs que le transept et le chœur, la nef ayant été détruite pendant les guerres de religion. Mais la visite de l’intérieur s’impose pour plusieurs raisons. |
Les chapiteaux sont typiquement artésiens, formant des anneaux autour des colonnes au lieu des cubes habituels. Ils étaient tellement bien taillés que j’ai pensé qu’ils étaient des imitations du 19ème siècle, mais ils datent du 16ème siècle. Celui de gauche montre la vie de la Vierge sous forme d’une frise qui ressemble à une vraie bande dessinée. J’ai aussi trouvé dans l’église un tableau très curieux. Il montre la translation de la couronne d’épines à la Sainte Chapelle en 1240, sujet vraiment inhabituel, et il est peint dans un style “baroque de village” délicieux avec un effet de perspective d’une maladresse touchante et des bateaux bizarres sur la Seine.
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Pour terminer, j’ai aussi trouvé dans un confessional une affiche destinée à aider les paroissiens à se confesser. J’ai pris l’affiche en photo pour ses efforts pédagogiques paternalistes et son langage suranné (“je m’accuse d’avoir donné le scandale” ou “je m’accuse d’avoir consenti à l’impureté”), mais elle incite à réfléchir au rôle qu’avait l’Église dans les communautés villageoises: dans un petit monde presque clos, le prêtre servait peut-être de soupape de sûreté pour que les actions pouvant mettre en danger la paix dans le village soient avouées et expiées. On invite par exemple le coupable à reconnaître s’il donne un salaire insuffisant à ses ouvriers ou les parents à avouer si ils ont été soit trop durs, soit trop laxistes envers leurs enfants.
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Itinéraire découverte de ferme en ferme Au fil de l'eau dans le Pays du Montreuillois
par Sandrine Joubert
par Sandrine Joubert
Page 11 from this book: On the right top corner one of the stables of our fermette