Montfort-sur-Risle Castle

Montfort-sur-Risle Castle, locally known as Château de Montfort-sur-Risle, lies next to the village of the same name, in the Eure department in France.

Montfort-sur-Risle Castle was founded in 1035 by Hugues I of Montfort. His son, Hugh II de Montfort, was a companion of William the Conqueror during the Battle of Hastings, for which he was rewarded with 114 estates all around England.

Hugh IV of Montfort strengthened the castle in the first half of the 12th century. But because he had plotted against Henry I of England, Duke of Normandy, the castle was besieged for a month in 1124 by Henry. After that, the castle was handed over to Waleran de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Worcester. He occupied the castle until 1153 when it was taken over by Robert II of Montfort.

By then the castle consisted of a square Norman keep, protected by an inner curtain wall separating it from the bailey, circled by an irregular polygonal curtain wall flanked by rectangular and semicircular towers.

In 1195 Hugh V of Montfort contributed to the ransom for Richard I of England, "the Lionheart". After his death, around 1203, the castle fell to Hugues de Gournay. By then the castle had become part of the second line of defense of the Duchy of Normandy after the fall of Gaillard Castle. As such it became strategically very important. The Montfort family by then had retreated to their estates in England.

After Hugues had changed his alliance from John Lackland to Philip II of France in 1204, King John had Montfort-sur-Risle Castle completely dismantled in order to prevent it to fall into French hands. So when the French troops arrived to take possession of the castle they found a ruin. It remained a ruin ever since.

At present the ruin of Montfort-sur-Risle Castle is freely accessible. When I visited, parts of the castle were inhabited by goats. Not a very spectacular castle ruin because the ruin was so much overgrown that not many architectural details were visible. In recent years however, after my visit, the local community has started to clean up the castle ruin, a nice project.

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Montfort-sur-Risle Castle

Montfort-sur-Risle Castle, locally known as Château de Montfort-sur-Risle, lies next to the village of the same name, in the Eure department in France.

Montfort-sur-Risle Castle was founded in 1035 by Hugues I of Montfort. His son, Hugh II de Montfort, was a companion of William the Conqueror during the Battle of Hastings, for which he was rewarded with 114 estates all around England.

Hugh IV of Montfort strengthened the castle in the first half of the 12th century. But because he had plotted against Henry I of England, Duke of Normandy, the castle was besieged for a month in 1124 by Henry. After that, the castle was handed over to Waleran de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Worcester. He occupied the castle until 1153 when it was taken over by Robert II of Montfort.

By then the castle consisted of a square Norman keep, protected by an inner curtain wall separating it from the bailey, circled by an irregular polygonal curtain wall flanked by rectangular and semicircular towers.

In 1195 Hugh V of Montfort contributed to the ransom for Richard I of England, "the Lionheart". After his death, around 1203, the castle fell to Hugues de Gournay. By then the castle had become part of the second line of defense of the Duchy of Normandy after the fall of Gaillard Castle. As such it became strategically very important. The Montfort family by then had retreated to their estates in England.

After Hugues had changed his alliance from John Lackland to Philip II of France in 1204, King John had Montfort-sur-Risle Castle completely dismantled in order to prevent it to fall into French hands. So when the French troops arrived to take possession of the castle they found a ruin. It remained a ruin ever since.

At present the ruin of Montfort-sur-Risle Castle is freely accessible. When I visited, parts of the castle were inhabited by goats. Not a very spectacular castle ruin because the ruin was so much overgrown that not many architectural details were visible. In recent years however, after my visit, the local community has started to clean up the castle ruin, a nice project.

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Details
Hits: 5313