User:Pontblanc/Château de Mont-l'Évêque

The castle of Mont-l'Évêque is located in Oise in the town of Mont-l'Évêque. It has been modified many times since its foundation in the  XIIIth century and the XIXe century. It has been a fortress, a episcopal residence for the bishops of Senlis and then a private residence, its history is intertwined with the neighbouring abbaye de la Victoire and the town's.

Though it is a private property and not a public space, the terrace as well as a portion of the grounds are opened to the public year-round, for free, within the limits indicated at the entrance. Access to the interiors, which are lived in, is strictly forbidden unless invited by the owners or an authorized guide. .

History
A royal fortress apparently existed in Mons (older name of Mont-l'Évêque) but was already in ruins by the end of the XIIth century. Its location isn't known with certainty. Similarly, the bishop Henri de Senlis had a residence there in 1181, location unknown. These are all likely one and the same castle.

XIIIth-XVIIIth century : country residence of the bishops of Senlis
As a reward for his role in the Bataille de Bouvines in 1214, king Philippe Auguste offers Guérin, chancellor and bishop of Senlis, the lordship Mons, the name of which changes to Mont-l'Évêque, litteraly "Mount Bishop". Guérin uses part of that land to create the abbaye de la Victoire, at the location where, according to legend, two envoys carrying news of the victory at Bouvines and at the Roche-aux-Moines respectively, met. The fortress becomes the summer residence of the bishops of Senlis who modify it through the centuries.

Severely damaged during the Hundred Years War, the castle is mostly rebuilt during the XVIth century.

Following the Révolution, the domain becomes a bien national for a few years. the last bishop who lived there was Armand de Roquelaure.

Changes of the XIXth century
Joseph-Xavier de Pontalba buys the property in 1807. It becomes atatched to the title of baron in 1810. Between that year and 1834, he increases the size of the property, destroys certain buildings and decorates the castle with an intricate gothic revival style, along with adding an expansion to the north and the southwest tower.

In the second half of the XIXth century,the english garden is modified by Louis-Sulpice Varé. During the1880s-1890s, architects Clément Parent and Louis Parent handle the last notable modifications to the castle itself. It includes covering two tower with roofs, enhancing the chimneys and modifying terraces, giving the castle its current look. They are also responsible for some major interior redesign, notably by building the great stairs and creating a large renaissance revival dining room, both of which largely draw inspiration from the château d'Amboise.

Several ambitious projects were never executed, as plans kept in the castles' archives suggest.