HISTORICAL
The first Castle or rather fortress is dated from the 4th century, Roman
time.
At this time, this place called Bonavenna (or Bonabes) de Taberio. It belonged to a Scottish Prince : Calphurnius who avoided the Saxon forces. One night, Irish pirates arrived in Cancaven (Cancale). They spread through the wood of Qokelunde (which stretched under La Gouesnière-Bonaban as far as Plerguer). Armed with pikes and axes, they slaughtered the Prince and all his family. His property was looted, burnet down, only his young son Patrice has survived from this slaughter and he was taken in Ireland. He looked after flocks, he learnt the language of the country of which he became the oracle and the disciple.
Erected on a mound of granite (24 m above the sea level), the differents Castels of Bonaban, were in the past strategic places. The feudal donjon dominated the vast plain of the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel ; it dominated the marchs of Brittany.
The original Castel dates from feudal period. In 1123, it was the property of Bonabes de Rougé. In 1164, the Castel was formed of a large main building with a pavillon, two towers, ditchs, moats, and a drawbridge. A tower was added in the twelf century. In 1270 Bonaban belonged to de Maure, the son-in-law of Bonabes de Rougé. This family kept this domain seigniorial until 1555. Then between 1560 and december 1664, it becomes the property of Guiny de la Garoulaye family. Later, it belonged to Pepins du Bignon, to Courtavel, to Peze and to Vassé. Demolished in the second half of eight century, the first stone of this actual Castel was put in on June 3rd 1776 by François-Guillaume Le Fer de la Saudre.
The architecture combines malouine style and feudal style with its towers in each corner. Inside the castle, we can observe staircase of Gêne’s marble, tapestries of Gobelins and Aubusson from the Lebrun designes.
The dovecote dates from 1665, but his interior has deteriorated in XX century.
During the revolution, the castle was looted and occupied by soldiers. The inside doors were broken, and the tapestries were used for blankets for the troops. The iron banisters of the main stairs, and the downspouts, were removed because the country needed the metal.
The Castle was sold to Pierre Ange Alexandre Level d’Amanlis. On 19th february 1842, it is sold to Earl Henry de Kergariou . Domain of the old chilvary of dukedom of Brittany. One of his descendants was the mayor of the town and his benefactor.
During the second World war, the Castle was occupied by french elders combatants, which avoided to be requisitioned by occupation forces.
