Amfreville and la Fiere map/scenario update 4

[Kandu]

The 82nd Airborne's four-day battle to capture and secure the la Fiere manor, bridge and causeway never mentions that the manor was built on top of the site of an old medieval motte and bailey castle. Or perhaps a viking encampment, or perhaps something more ancient?. I have been unable to find the history of it. Yesterday i stumbled upon colour aerial photos online taken by a drone that clearly show the old earth ramparts from various angles. If one takes a ground view walkabout using google maps, down the hill towards the bridge from east to west and looks back up the hill then it is possible to catch glimpses of the rampart above the bocage, the sunken lane that was the ancient ditch, and loooking at the manoir - the single hump above the roof of the outbuildings. I have included screen shots of the work in progress to recreate that to give the reader an idea of the extent of what remains today. I wonder if the men of the 505th PIR and 325th GIR were aware that they were defending a 'castle'?

 

[Ulvjager]

Sometimes with sites like that they've been used for defensive works since the dawn of war. Probably was a Gallic fortification, then Roman, then Frankish and on to perhaps Viking and then Norman cool discovery, Kandu!

 

[Bartimeus]

Hello!

It's old yes, it's a old medial moot but no evidence of Celtic or Roma presence.

I fond a lot of information on this website : http://remparts-de-normandie.eklablog.com/les-remparts-de-la-fiere-manche-a148482160
Including (Google translated) : " “Feudal motte: site of la Fière, on the edge of the Merderet. It is first of all a vast, very old enclosure, in a semi-circle, raised on the edges of the marshes of the Merderet valley, protecting a ford that still exists next to the current bridge. This huge earthen wall, lined with a wide and deep ditch, has a diameter of nearly 300 meters. But, undoubtedly at the beginning of the Middle Ages, a second small enclosure was built in the south, supported on the large enclosure which it had probably become impossible to defend, for lack of sufficient manpower. A segment of the large enclosure was separated from it at its southern end, by a small perpendicular ditch; this isolated segment, enlarged by contributions of earth, thus became a veritable feudal mound which is therefore practically in the middle of the new and smaller enclosure. An old mill, a manor, various outbuildings, a disused chapel, stand in the flattened center of the entrenched semicircle.. "

According to the website the place was bought by the nobel family" de Sauvage" in 1392, no mention of previous owner have been found. It's the oldest writing found speaking about this place.

 

[Kandu]

Hello!

It's old yes, it's a old medial moot but no evidence of Celtic or Roma presence.

I fond a lot of information on this website : http://remparts-de-normandie.eklablog.com/les-remparts-de-la-fiere-manche-a148482160
Including (Google translated) : " “Feudal motte: site of la Fière, on the edge of the Merderet. It is first of all a vast, very old enclosure, in a semi-circle, raised on the edges of the marshes of the Merderet valley, protecting a ford that still exists next to the current bridge. This huge earthen wall, lined with a wide and deep ditch, has a diameter of nearly 300 meters. But, undoubtedly at the beginning of the Middle Ages, a second small enclosure was built in the south, supported on the large enclosure which it had probably become impossible to defend, for lack of sufficient manpower. A segment of the large enclosure was separated from it at its southern end, by a small perpendicular ditch; this isolated segment, enlarged by contributions of earth, thus became a veritable feudal mound which is therefore practically in the middle of the new and smaller enclosure. An old mill, a manor, various outbuildings, a disused chapel, stand in the flattened center of the entrenched semicircle.. "

According to the website the place was bought by the nobel family" de Sauvage" in 1392, no mention of previous owner have been found. It's the oldest writing found speaking about this place.

Merci beaucoup Bartimeus! J'ai decouvrer aussi cette website mais n'ete pas possible de voir ca. "The website has timed out". S'il vous plais excusee mon pauvre Francais et pour oblier les propres accents.

 

[Bartimeus]

You welcom. Strange it do not work for you. It's an interesting website, the author gather information on fortification/Castel etc etc in Normandie. It's a very impressive work, he manage to write about 502 differents places and counting! It's all in French unfortunatly.

 

[Kandu]

You welcom. Strange it do not work for you. It's an interesting website, the author gather information on fortification/Castel etc etc in Normandie. It's a very impressive work, he manage to write about 502 differents places and counting! It's all in French unfortunatly.

J'ai l'essayer encore, mais pas de succes. Je suis desole. J'aime beaucoup voir des chateaux anciennes.

 

[Bartimeus]

Try with this link maybe : http://remparts-de-normandie.eklablog.com/accueil-c28719114

 

[Kandu]

Try with this link maybe : http://remparts-de-normandie.eklablog.com/accueil-c28719114

Meme chose.

 

[Guardsman]

cool discovery! Most farms and villages in France were fortified throughout the middle ages for protection against marauding armies or bandits. Though the fact it originated as a motte and bailey suggests a typical Norman fortification, guarding the important fording point.