The Mesnil Godrefroy manor

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The stronghold of Mesnil Godefroy is mentioned around the year 1200 and depends on the perpetual fiefdom of Cailly. Its owners were mostly known until the 1400s.

It was not until the beginning of the 17th century, when the barony of Cailly was sold in 1618, that Anthoine Bourgeoise was mentioned as “Sieur de Mesnil Godefroy”.

Pierre de Fermanel, lieutenant of the king's great falconry, acquired the estate in 1629 and his son, Jacques, built the manor around 1660, to which his grandson, Jacques, added a chapel in 1686.

This chapel, duly authorized by the archbishop, was placed under the invocation of Our Lady of Consolation. It was re-built in 1747 by Jean de Béthencourt, heir to the previous owners, under the name of Saint Cyr and Saint Juliet.

Hidden behind the splendid lime tree walk leading to the manor, it is a sober, small building: 6.60m long, 5m wide and 6.5m high; the walls are brick and flint, the vault removed shows the wooden frame and its assemblages, the two-sided slate roof is topped by a small belfry housing a bell.

In 1791, the vicar of Rue St Pierre, J. B. Simon refused to take the oath to the constitution, and was replaced by a constitutional priest. Jean-Baptiste de Fermanel welcomed him in his manor, with his furniture and on 8 May, the day of his successor's installation mass, he had him say a mass in the chapel "after having forbidden himself and having his servants forbid to a very large number of citizens of the parish to attend the mass of the new parish priest" and, according to the report of the mayor to the prosecutor, they were suspected of "diverting several priests from the canton to take their oath". J.B. Simon was deported three years later and his furniture sold.

Returning from exile in 1801, he returned to his parish after being sworn in to the constitution.

In 1884, the chapel was visited again by a procession on 16 June, during the patron saint's day of La Rue St Pierre.

The manor, owned in 1904 by Louise de Fermanel, was then acquired by Julie Delamare-Deboutteville, widow of Edouard Delamare-Deboutteville, (1856 - 1901).