Autrey Castle

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History of D'Autrey, P.D. Mouton, 1868. Translated by Jean Louis Guichard, Autrey les Gray, France. (Please remember English is not Mr. Guichard's first language and he is translating as he learns English).

THE CASTLE OF AUTREY, THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION, ITS DURATION, AND ITS RUIN.

During the IXth, Xth and XIth centuries, our countries endured the invasions of the Norsmen and the Ungarians. The terror that these barbarians spread and the necessity to protect themselves against their powerful and ambitious neighbors, obliged the nobility to entrench themselves in their estates.

Athen, set in the estate of Autrey being destroyed as we can read later, the noble house of Beaumont got a castle built at very Autrey, that's what is certain about this construction. Nothing proves the date of this construction. It would be between 1132 and 1144, under Huges IV or Hugues V of Beaumont. So, Mr. Clerk wrote it appears in the XIIth century. One had got this castle built in a valley rather on one of the next hills because there was upstream an abundant spring with whom and with wide ditches. One was able to surround the castle with water and diverted at will. It had at least 70 meters (78 yards) long and 50 meters (55 yards) wide, a first floor and only one floor above with three round towers. Its main facades were to the North and to the south, protected by a lake. Placed on a promontory this stronghold watched over the roads which crossed at its base. Above the cellars, laid under the whole building, there are the guard room, the kitchen, the dinning room, the Justice Hall, the arm room and other rooms for the family's lord and his officers. In the upper floor was stored the stocks and the titles and acts of Autrey and the other villages.

That was, the History of Gray said, a spacious castle, flanked by towers capable to lodge a numerous troop. We are not surprised by its size when we remember that in time of war or calamities, the inhabitants of the next villages came there with their most precious things: feed, movables, clothes, and so on.

It still existed on June 13, 1636 because this day, Mr of Arches, gentleman of Gray, with the orders of Petrey, for the Parliament of Dole, pounced to the castle in the middle of the night. The next morning, he fired gun to salute the messenger of the Count of Berlin, the castle's owner, who came to ask to the municipal magistrate and the inhabitants to give themselves up to the King of France.

In other words, that is how the naive Boyvin of Dole relates these facts. As soon as Petrey, commanding officer of Gray, knew the surrender of Pesmes, of Besancon, he decided to look after to hold the other places, as Autrey. The Count Belin, French Gentleman, Lord of the estate of Autrey, who owned a beautiful castle, one hour from Gray, had wanted to give it to the King, his Master. He intended that for a gentleman and sent in advance a letter to the captain commanding the castle, originaring from the country and to the inhabitants. This letter assured them he want be their father and their protector and shelter them from the storm which was brewing, he put them in safe keeping near the king and the cardinal and himself will go near them three days later, provided they believe and make that the gentleman who got here before him will say them...

The Chancellor of Champvans came across the letter and called furing the night in the castle, Mr. Arches, standard bearer of Mr. of Andelot. Next morning, he said "good morning" to the gentleman by good gunfires, who must beat a retreat by stagecoach to say to this master that his statagem was known.

But the end of life of the castle of Autrey arrived. The Duke of Longeville who got a part of the castle of Pesmes destroyed, who took hold the one of Essertenne on August 1, 1638, got his troops approached near Chargey on the country of La Chapelotte and make up a camp named "battle ground:. On 5th, he was there with his army because he wrote from the camp in front of Autrey to the mayor and municipal magistrates of Langres to ask them 20,000 bread rations. He was staying twelve days to take hold the village of Autrey, enclosed with walls that was not finished. The garrison, ordered by Lanoy, sergeant of the ancient garrison of Gray, was retreated in the castle. The enemies had to cross the wide moats full of water which surrounded the castle, to take hold this stronghold.

On August 17, Longueville having made a break in the ramparts, ordered to Brissac who was on guard with his regiment, to throw fascines in the moat. At eleven p.m. in the night, achieving this work, he was hunted by a musket shot and died. He was nearly 24 years old. But Lanoy, doing not being soon help, like the garrison was pressed hard, after thirty flights of guns and after consultations with the enemies, gave up if he retracted with bag and baggage. He was reconciled, but on return way an ambush took him and his men that the agreement reconciled them.

The village is credited with having been bombed from the top of the hill of "Montee Chevre" (between Autrey and Gray). The castle was enduring all the horrors of a siege, according to the rule and capitulated after thirty broadsides of gunfire with open sights. And if this siege was a calamity for the country, it got a great pleasure for its originator.

After four days, the Knight Ravanes was on guard in front of the castle, waiting for the orders of the Duke of Enghein who got it pull down (see the pictures, the ruins of the castle of Autrey). The vestiges, the section of wall who remained have been hardly been pulled down in 1840 and had served to built a coal shed. So that is remains nothing of this stronghold whose walls were seven feet wide, except the base of the south east tower, named Gabrielle of Vergy's tower. It's true that all the things on the earth pass on, only the eternity will last.

In 1863, a nice house was built o n a part of the soils taken by the castle. Digging around the walls, one found two cannonballs, some keys, some hammers and axes, several other things, backed by the smoke, but not bone because this place has been forsaken. One discovered inside in the cellars a wide well, well-paved at the bottom. It still remains. Dredging it, one only found two pewter tankards, one large and one small, with on each the Vergy's escutscheon with flowers of Lily (the Flowers of Lily are the symbol of France and of royalty) and a pair of two edge-swords. At the northeast of this stronghold was built a chapel for this castle dedicated to Saint Catherine. It was ruined in 1865. It had 14 meters and 70 centimeters long (16 yards) and 9 meters 62 centimeters wide (10 yards). At the end of the west wall we can see two heads of angels and a succession of relief lobules which followed one of the ribs. It is is true that meant the crusader's unity which must be joint like the links of a chain. This chapel would be built after the first crusade in 1095. It had only a wide window in the east wall. The pulpit was all of a piece, made of stone, finely chiseled. This chapel was ministered to some chaplains who are other named by Duchene.

Assuredly, that was the most ancient building of Autrey and of the surroundings.

The borough of Autrey was a half circle shaped which began near the lowest washhouse until the lake to the north of the castle. He had more 258 meters (286 yards) in base, 152 meters (170 yards) in radius and 453 meters (500 yards) in perimeter. This borough was fenced in by a rampart of large stones.

The castle was apart and separated from the borough by wild ditches on which there were a drawbridge by a redoubt in which a tunnel was dug, which ran under the Pernin's house and ended near the pool. The main entrance was near the back of the parent entrance of the house. The last jambe (more than six feet wide) was pulled down in 1861. There were, in front of this entrance several turrets and a large, solid mass of stone. Out of the walls of the borough, there were some house's spread in several places, especially near the church.