RUINS OF THE CASTLE CHAPEL
The castle itself, of which only a part exists (visible on the left in the above photograph), was erected on the site of an old Roman fort. At the foot ran the boundary line of the town, partly formed by the wall which encloses this side of the estate and the tower which flanks the north front of the buildings.
CASTLE AND PRIORY OF SAINT-MAURICE
The Merovingian and Carlovingian kings often inhabited the castle, situated as it was in the midst of their favourite hunting-grounds.
It was the theatre of numerous historical events: Pépin, Duke of Aquitaine, grandson of Charlemagne, died imprisoned there, and Baldwin of Flanders carried off from there the daughter of Charles the Bald. In 987, the last Carlovingian king having died while out hunting, the French lords assembled in the castle and elected, as king, Hugues Capet whose dynasty reigned in France until the Revolution. Philippe-Auguste held festivities there on returning from his wedding with Elizabeth of Hainault. Saint Louis founded the priory of Saint-Maurice.
During the Hundred Years War, Catherine of France was married to Henry V. of England at Senlis, in 1420.
After Henri IV., the castle, being very dilapidated, was gradually abandoned. Justice was still administered there until the falling in of the Audience Chamber in the eighteenth century.
The interior of the castle is in ruins. There is one room to be seen, called Henri IV.'s room, which is shown on the following page. It dates from the thirteenth century, and is covered with fine panelling. The fireplace was altered in the fifteenth century, but the big circular section flue remains just as it was two centuries earlier.
