La Ferme de Drugy

La Ferme de Drugy is a cluster of former castle buildings, now working as a farm, in the small hamlet of Drugy, part of the commune of Saint-Riquier in the Somme department, Hauts-de-France.

What can you actually see there today?

Most of what stands today dates from a rebuild in the third quarter of the 18th century - one barn even carries the date 1766 cut into its wall. The residential wing is arranged over two storeys, while the ground floor is given over to stables and barns. Tucked among these later farm buildings, though, are a few surviving medieval fragments: a ribbed vaulted chamber and a pointed Gothic window with twin lancets. Those pieces are the clue that this farmyard sits on top of a much older and far more dramatic site. It remains a private property, so a visit needs to be arranged with the owners in advance.

How did the castle change over the centuries?

The story starts in 1272, when Gilles de Machemont, abbot of Saint-Riquier from 1257, had a fortified building put up on the site - some historians think an earlier stronghold may have stood there as far back as 1217, though that's never been confirmed. The original castle took the form of a tower complex: one large keep flanked by eight smaller turrets, arranged on an irregular, many-sided plan. Its most distinctive feature was a seven-sided vaulted hall roughly 8 metres across, built with buttressing typical of Norman-influenced masonry. The building was knocked about repeatedly during the Hundred Years' War and rebuilt each time - a major repair was funded in 1361 by abbot Philippe du Fossé at a cost of 400 gold écus, and another large-scale reconstruction followed between 1457 and 1465 under abbot Pierre le Prêtre. The final blow came in 1475, when troops loyal to Louis XI set fire to Saint-Riquier and the castle at Drugy was caught up in the destruction. People still lived there until 1709 - the last known resident was Pierre de Cosnac - after which the place was abandoned and, in the second half of the 18th century, converted into a farm.

Why is Drugy linked to Joan of Arc?

The best-known chapter in the site's history is a brief but symbolic stopover by Joan of Arc. While being moved from Compiègne to Rouen in December 1430, she was held for a single night in the castle at Drugy before being taken onward to Le Crotoy. This is documented by the chronicler Jean de la Chapelle, who recorded the episode in Latin in a text written in 1492, also noting that monks from Saint-Riquier Abbey came to visit the prisoner. It's largely because of this episode that the tower said to have held her earned protected status.

Is the site legally protected as a historic monument?

Only in part. On 7 September 1943, the section of the complex known as the keep - specifically the tower containing the chamber linked to Joan of Arc's imprisonment - was listed as a monument historique. The later 18th-century farm buildings, which make up most of what visitors see today, fall outside that protection. The walls also still bear graffiti left by prisoners during the First World War, adding another layer to the site's long history.

Frequently asked questions

What is La Ferme de Drugy? It's a former medieval castle, converted into a working farm in the 18th century, located in the hamlet of Drugy within the commune of Saint-Riquier.

Can you visit La Ferme de Drugy? It's privately owned, so visits are only possible by prior arrangement with the owners.

What is its connection to Joan of Arc? In December 1430, while being transferred from Compiègne to Rouen, Joan of Arc spent one night here as a prisoner before being moved on to Le Crotoy.

Is the building listed as a historic monument? Partly - since 1943 the tower containing the chamber associated with Joan of Arc has been protected, while the later farm buildings have no such status.