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The
castle is surrounded by an estate of about 20
hectares (50 acres) and entirely enclosed by walls of brick and by a
ditch (“saut de loup”
*) from which one can
have a view of the merging of the rivers Seine and Andelle and
even as far as the hills that dominate the Bouille, down-river from
Rouen.
In the "Petit Parc" one can see a game table (ground
or winged game) in sculpted stone shaped like a tomb from antiquity and
dating from the same period as the castle.
Likewise, there are many statues dotted around the garden, copies of
those made for the Comte d’Artois (XVIIIth
century) on his estate of Bagatelle near Paris. The originals were
returned to Bagatelle in 1998 for their safe keeping. |
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(*) "Saut de loup"
: wall and ditch, flush with the ground, designed to keep large animals out but thus
leaving a large green perspective pleasing to the eye |
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The Farm is
located on the left after
passage through the Gate House.
It dates back to the XVIIth century and still
has its forge, stables and most especially its cider-house.
The buildings are dated above one of the windows to 1668.
Next to the cider-house is a cellar which housed 11 large casks of 43
hectolitres in 1813! |
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The
building perpendicular to that has now been renovated to allow its use
as a lodging house (Guest House)
and still has its original bread ovens.
The following building is more recent, dating back only to the XIXth
century.
Turning
right after passage through the Gate House, one can see the old farm
house which probably dates back to the XVIIth
century too.
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Angling
back to the north is a large grange which was enlarged through the ages
to allow its continued use.
At its western extremity there is a reused
Gothic door pillar which seems to be the last remains of the XIIIth
century manor.
Near
the chapel
there is a remarkable linden tree
which very largely dominates the building. It is estimated to be about
450 years old.
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