07
May
2023
The sun strived to get its rays of light through. Behind the austere frontage, the two guides Emilie and Laurène have put on the garments of the sweet Lady Aliénor Gouët and of the impulsive Lady Ella.
Scene of a historic fact
This first Sunday of November was not necessarily suitable for an outdoor trip but ideal to discover the local heritage through a very lively visit. Lady Aliénor Gouët the sweet, the prudish keen on art and architecture and Lady Ella, the impulsive, the fighter passionate on war matters guided us throughout the various rooms.
At the very start each participant was given a candle. The visit started in the first Arms room which could be used as a refuge and a store place in case of an attack. The two narrators inform the visitors that the Castle was the scene of a high historical event.
On the 6th of January 1169 a meeting took place here between Henry II King of England and Louis VII King of France in an attempt of reconciliating the King of England and Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury who disputed the King’s authority.
Tortured prisoners
In the dungeon Lady Ella unveils that all prisoners were not necessarily maintained in jail as that ment to much costs. They were kept pending a judgment or a ransom. She also narrates some of the tortures made on the prisoners : the supplice of the rat or alternatively that of the fork. « A bucket was put over a rat already on the prisoner’s belly. The bucket was heated up and the rat to escape would dig eating the prisoner’s belly. »
Talented guides
Those visits were carried out twice as a test. Thanks to their success and the feedback on « the excellence and the quality of the animation », this theme will certainly be renewed.
This stagy show of one hour and a half please everyone: « It went too quickly ». Emily playing Aliénor Gouêt is graduated in Sciences of Heritage and has a full time job in the Château. Laurène, allias Lady Ella, prepares a Master of English teacher.
Source : Le Maine Libre
