50 years of presence at the Mas de l'Espinas

Name: 50 years of presence at the Mas de l'Espinas
Start: 2023-09-15T14:00:00+02:00
End: 2023-09-17T18:30:00+02:00
Location: Mas de l'Espinas

50 years of restoration of the Mas de l'Espinas

15 - 17 September 2023Passed

Conditions

Free entry

©Jean-Luc Michel

50 years of restoration of the Mas de l'Espinas

About the location

Mas de l'Espinas

Hameau de l'Espinas, 07140 Montselgues, Ardèche, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Ardèche
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

The populating of the hamlet of Espinas, located on the tray(plateau) of the Cévennes, in the southwest limit of the Ardèche, not far from Lozère, goes back up(raises) to the XIIIth century. In 1464, according to a statement of royal respects, already five fires(lights) were raised(found). For the main part of buildings(ships), the construction of the hamlet goes back up(raises) to the XVIIth century, if we are to believe a registration(inscription) engraved which mentions the date of 1651\. Nevertheless, the home, the cooking(kitchen) and a part(party) of the barn are clearly more old(former), most probably of the XVth century. The oven with bread is in perfect condition of preservation and functioning. His(Her,Its) dimensions(size) seem very clearly upper to those observed for "family" models. An opening between both parts(parties) was maybe realised in 1663\. The courtyard of Espinas is protégée of visits and of wind by a wall, which was maybe built at the end of the XVIIth century or at the beginning of the XVIIIth century. At the end of the XIXth century, the hamlet of Espinas counted almost hundred inhabitants but Great War then rural exodus made fall(flop) the population, which fell still after the war of 1939-1945\. 1950s marked a discouragement of the inhabitants in front of difficulties of all kinds, so that most left, either by selling their properties at a low price, or by abandoning(by giving up) them purely and simply. The hamlet was definitely abandoned in 1956\. In the hamlet, supporting(maintaining) empty of inhabitants because of its isolation, the largest part of houses was demolished(destroyed), the frames(supervisions) of doors and of windows were disassembled(taken down), granite stones, coverage(covers) in lauze of schists were torn away(extracted) and sold. Miraculously, only the farm of Espinas is still undamaged. It was acquired in 1973 by individuals who attempt today to safeguard it. In 2014, a new hall in crossettes cut in the sandstone was inaugurated north of the house.