A mansion which has been closed for over 100 years has now been re-opened to the public- complete with original features such as under floor heating and stained glass windows.
One of the most bizarre dying desires has just been carried out and fulfilled as an old manor house, which has been shut for the majority of the 20th century has recently been re-opened for the public.
Maison Mantin, which was the manor house’s official title, was left in its owners will to the people of Moulins, located in the centre of France. The former owners name was Louis Martin, and his will was written just a few weeks before he passed away in 1905. The owner of the property also owned some of the surrounding land too, and had also inherited a number of properties throughout the duration of his life. He was however not married and did not have any children, and died at the age of 54- just eight years after the completion of the manor house.
Some rumours circulated in the local area which included that the eccentric man wanted the manor to be shut for 100 years after his death. However, in truth his one and only true wish was that his property would be re-opened as a museum a century after he died. There was a condition in his will that if the manor’s renovations were not completed before the 100 years was up then the property would be inherited by his relatives.
“Mantin was obsessed with the passing of time, and death,” said Maud Leyoudec, assistant curator of Maison Mantin. “He wanted the house to remain unchanged, like a time-capsule for future generations, so they would know how a bourgeois gentleman lived at the turn of the 20th century.”
Therefore his wishes were fulfilled and the time-warp mansion was indeed re-opened as a museum for the local communities to enjoy.
After Mantin’s death, the mansion stood closed while two wars took place in the nearby vicinity. The manor stood mysteriously, with its shutters up an unchanged, derelict shell in the shadows of the Moulin’s cathedral. There was some speculation that skeletons could be found inside the mansion, but the majority of people did not take much notice of the mansion- even the German’s who occupied the area in the 1940’s left it untouched.
The restoration process took place as the 100 year deadline loomed. The house was expectedly in a dire condition when people finally entered it after almost 100 years. There were infestations of woodworm, and damp and lots of the decorative wall coverings were in ruins. A large team made up of 30 experts took part in renovating the mansion, which took them 4 years to do. The mansion was fitted with many sophisticated features, and it is now almost exactly the same as it was in 1905. It had electric light fittings, fully flushing toilets, secondary glazing and underfloor heating. It also had various decorative features which were popular at the time such as stained glass windows and lots of wood carvings.
Now everybody in Moulins knows Louis Martin’s name, all thanks to his unusual gift to the community.
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