The castle is located north of the Charente Maritime, in the Boutonne’s valley, not far from Saint-Jean d'Angély, capital of « Basse Saintonge ».
The park extends along the river Boutonne and is adorned by beautiful. We can admire a pyramidal oak and a plane tree, both four hundred years old, which are classified and labeled "remarkable trees of France"
The alleys in the park are dotted with statues of the eighteenth century and the nineteenth century: « Diane Chasseresse » with its bow and quiver, a basin and a sundial supported by three faunas, « Marsyas » playing the flute ...
In the old orchard stands an obelisk bearing the coat of arms of the first Mornay’s families.
There is also an old tower of the fourteenth century, called " Thistles Tower " because of the shape of its spike ridge lead.
The park and the castle are registered as Historical Monument since 1949.
Created in 1999 following the considerable damage caused by the storm of 1999 (many uprooted trees, damaged roofs and frames, collapsed walkways etc ...), the association continues to maintain and beautify the park of the castle.
Sleeping for several years, the castle was acquired in 1951 by Dr. Jean Morin, who has transformed this place after years of work into a rest home.
Following the construction of new buildings in 1995-1996 (in accordance with the instructions of BÂTIMENTS DE FRANCE), the castle became a category A after-care and rehabilitation center, able to welcome 70 patients.
In 2019 a plane tree and a pyramidal oak obtained the "remarkable tree of France" label.
Why this project?
Transformed into a hospital during the 1914-18 war and into a nursing home and then convalescent since 1955, Mornay has become over the years a refreshing place in an exceptional frame.
In 2021, the company managing the convalescent home will leave the castle. Mornay no longer collecting any resources, the maintenance of the castle which requires a lot of restoration will become very difficult. In order not to sell this castle, which many people hold in family and friends. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Morin, have decided to keep this therapeutic vocation in Mornay by dedicating the castle and the park to the well-being and the environmental protection.
It is planned to organize many events on the themes of nature, health, protection of the environment.
This remarkable park already has a beautiful structure that only needs to be improved to become a place of educational visit for schools, holidaymakers, a site for the protection of flora and fauna.
Weddings, seminars and exhibitions may be hosted.
All activities’benefits of the castle will be used for the restoration and maintenance of Mornay.
View of the park from the large gallery: The crown of honor and its faunas, the statue of Diana and the pyramidal oak.
The faunas
What actions have already been taken ?
To finance the restoration of the castle and the park, floral festivals were realized in 2018 and 2019. With the benefits of these events, the Diane and balusters of the crownhave been repaired and cleaned. The benefits of 2019 will continue the restoration of statues and the park will begin to be cleaned up.
Label "remarkable tree of France" May 2019
Two remarkable trees in the park:
Pyramidal Oak 400 years old.
The plane tree, 400 years old.
As long as the castle is occupied we can not restore the interior. We decided to start with the exteriors.
1. 1- In the park, different trees are dangerous and must be cleaned to remove dead wood. Some are dead and will be shot.
2. 2- The banks of the moats need to be cleared and cleaned of all the trees and branches that have fallen on the banks and in the watercourse.
3. 3- To give a future to the castle, we must start planting honey, medicinal and odorous plants, ornamental trees, in order to be operational in 2021.
Minimum target: € 5,000, which will allow us to finance:
PARC MAINTENANCE: REHABILITATION AND CLEANING
FIRST PLANTATIONS
The occulting by bedding plants,c to hide the recent part of the convalescent home. Supply of vegetables: €2000
- stage 2: more than €5000 up to € 10 000 will allow us to finance:
The purchase of equipment for the climbing structure hiding the recent buildings: 3500 euros
The creation of a clump of medicinal and honey plants with pedagogical properties and protection of the local biotope.
Supplies of plants: €1500
If this goal is achieved:
- Stage 3: €15 000 which will allow us to finance ... The plantations of the alleys :€5000
and creating a green room
ASSOCIATION OF MORNAY FRIENDS
Its role and objectives:
- Provide human and material support for the preservation of Mornay’s Castle and its park and the protection of its site and its environment;
- Contribute to the restoration of the Mornay’s Castle and its park as well as the enrichment of the collections of works of art that the castle presents to the public;
- Promote all activities and events within the Château de Mornay to ensure the visibility of the site to a local public as well as French, European or international;
- To allow the castle of Mornay, by various actions, to become a meeting, social, cultural, festive and sporting place for the surrounding population;
- Undertake any initiative with a view to encouraging the generosity of French or foreign sponsors and, in a general way, to directly or indirectly achieve the material and cultural aims which are the object of the Association.
Registered office: 8, rue du Prieuré, La Chapelle-Baton, 17400 Antezant-la-Chapelle.
You can support this project:
• - by making an online donation by credit card on this page after registration on the Dartagnans website
• - by making a bank transfer after registration on the Dartagnans website
• - by sending a check, on the back of which you will include your e-mail address, written in the following order "ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF MORNAY", sent to the following address:
Dartagnans
Restoration campaign of the park of the castle of Mornay
15 Milan Street
75009 PARIS
Press releases (images in support)
http://www.langerienlibre.fr/s...
E-mail : [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Fl...
The castle is located north of the Charente Maritime, in the Boutonne valley, in the old Saintonge, an old province on the edge of the country Aunis, in the town of Saint-Pierre de Isle, in the canton of Loulay, not far from Saint-Jean d'Angély, capital of « Basse Saintonge ».
The current castle was buildes at the end of the 17th century instead of an older castle, traversed by the armies of Bertrand Duguesclin, At the bottom of the park, a watchtower remains, last witness of his feudal life ...
The castle is located south of a large rectangular park surrounded by water.
It consists of an entrance pavilion with crenellations and machicolation, surmounted by an imperial roof. The back of the facade of this pavilion retains the grooves for the chains of the drawbridge and a dormant bridge crosses the moat.
The castle has a main building square crowned with an attic decorated with fire pots. The square towers of the ends have three stages crowned with battlements and machicolations. They are flanked by spiral staircase turrets.
