The name “Mahomet” is intriguing, and its origin is a matter of debate. ‘Sun’ in poetic language, a lord nostalgic for the Crusades… The most credible theory is actually a more down-to-earth one: Mahomet is said to be a corruption of “La ferme de Mathilde” (Mathilde’s Farm), with “Mahaut” being an old diminutive form of that first name. The earliest evidence of the place is found on a 1715 map of the Diocese of Rouen, unearthed by the family at a used bookstore on the banks of the Seine; the estate is spelled MAHOMAIS on it.
The main building was constructed in 1610 using red brick, white limestone, and stone, topped with a slate roof typical of the Pays de Caux region. Looking at the façade, one notices that it is not perfectly straight: the structure simply followed the contours of the land rather than forcing it to conform. As for the narrowness of the rooms, this is due to a constraint of the time: long beams were reserved for the royal fleet. The builders therefore made do with what was left.
The manor house was subsequently expanded in two phases: the right wing (kitchen and Red Room) was the first addition, followed much later by the left wing, known as the “Petit Mahomet.” Until the Revolution, the estate passed through the hands of Norman nobles and military officers, each leaving their mark on the woodwork and fireplaces.
In 1937, Mr. and Mrs. Wallaert, a large family from Lille, fell in love with Le Mahomet. The manor was then in a deplorable state: uninhabited for 33 years, with no water or gas, and dirt floors—but regardless, their decision was made.
For decades, they restored it room by room, salvaging woodwork and doors from demolition sites, and building the oak bookcase in the small parlor themselves. They hung paintings from the Lenglart family collection, including a large canvas in the dining room painted by Dominique Lenglart (1773–1814), a student of Louis Watteau.
Initially a weekend home, Le Mahomet became their primary residence upon retirement, and a routine took hold: the manor in summer, Le Cellier in winter. As producers of calvados—a Norman tradition that, unfortunately, would not be passed down—they also planted and sold Christmas trees to fund the estate’s upkeep and the caretakers who worked there year-round.
The estate subsequently saw a succession of agricultural activities, including cider apples, for which the orchards were cleared to replant trees and create a hunting habitat. Buildings still bear the names of these past lives today, such as the Bergerie or the Cellier.
In 1985, EDF planned to run a high-voltage power line through the estate. At the time, the owners fought alongside the Association des Vieilles Maisons Françaises de Seine-Maritime, whose president, the Count of Toulouse-Lautrec, personally visited the manor and signed a petition. A heritage listing application was then filed, thereby diverting the route.
Passed down and renovated from generation to generation—with the next generation notably expanding commercial hunting operations while modernizing the amenities—the Manoir de Mahomet is now available for rent. Its 17th-century timber frames, its family-named rooms, its paintings, and its period woodwork tell a true story: that of a beloved home, defended and passed down with pride for over four centuries.
