Château de Bricquebec, Bricquebec, France

According the tradition the first castle in Bricquebec was built by Anslec with Scandinavian origin, who was related to the Duke of Normandy, William Longsword. Later Bricquebec Castle was owned by Robert I Bertran, who accompanied William the Conqueror in the conquest of England in 1066. His son, Robert II Bertran, is believed to have taken part in the taking of Jerusalem during the First Crusade in 1096. After the annexation of Normandy by the King of France, Philippe II Auguste, in 1204, the Bertrans did homage to him, for fifteen noble fiefs held from their barony of Bricquebec.

Myth has it that in 1270 the Knights Templar, who already had numerous other possessions in the area, founded a commandery in the castle, based on the architectural layout of the castle. The 13th century, 22 meters high, 11-sided keep stands on a 17 meters high motte and its outer walls resemble the octagonal geometry which was characteristic of the Order.

After the death of the last of the Bertrans, Bricquebec Castle went to the Paisnel family through marriage. During the 14th century the plague and famines ravaged the Cotentin peninsula and it was also the scene of multiple skirmishes between French, English and Navarrian troops. In 1418 the castle was occupied by the troops of King Henry V of England. Given to William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, then sold by him to captain Bertin Entwistle, the castle stayed under English rule until 1450. In 1452 Louis d'Estouteville took possession of the castle.

In the 16th century the barons of Bricquebec abandoned the castle in favor of their newer manors. In 1857 the castle was visited by Queen Victoria of England and in 1957 by Field Marshall Montgoméry.

At present there is a hotel inside the castle which has its website at Hostellerie du Château Bricquebec. The keep, amongst other parts of the castle, can be visited during summer months.

References:

castles.nl

User Reviews

Ellen Von Der Geest (4 years ago)
The Rooms were ok but service not , no breakfast first day, rest of the breakfasts always something missing and nobody to talk too, they speak French only! The restaurant- very posh looking , offered 1 menu, not much choice , for a restaurant, which got Michelin stars in the past with the owner before! The wine we ordered, was not available and on top the charged lots of money for it!

Adam Bowen (4 years ago)
What a weird experience. We went in July, but it was like an abandoned building. Not sure if anyone else was there or not. Only saw 2 staff members our entire overnight stay, and at 7am check out we just left the key because no one was there. Dinner was okay, but made us make reservations (which they checked on arrival) even though we were literally the only ones there. Probably won't stay here again, and probably could have found a cheaper option looking back.

John Berry (4 years ago)
Outstanding experience. Great history and town.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright diannlroy.com

Historic Site of the week

Jan Hus Memorial

The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.

Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.

Château de Bricquebec

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Jan Hus Memorial