History

Highlight of the spirituality in Bas-Languedoc region

An exceptional Priory

The Alquier de Corneilhan, a prestigious aristocratic lineage of the Biterrois, founded the Cassan priory on March 12, 1080, for six canons who left the cathedral chapter Saint-Nazaire de Beziers, then decadent.

More then 1.000 years of history

The second prior Saint Guiraud ( 1106-1121) has edify a new monastery and a new church sonly consecrated on the October 6th 1115 and build in 1118 an hospital-hostelry for numerous passing pilgrims , poor and sick.
He greatly increase the richness and the reputation of the priory who becomes one of the highlight of the spirituality in Bas-Languedoc region

Famed necropoly , Sainte-Marie de Cassan shelter the sepultures of famous prelates, lords, and Trencavel, viscount of Beziers Carcassonne and Albi.

On a religious encounter, pope Innocent III conferred the exemption in 1216 , placing it this way under the direct protection of the apostolic headquarter out of the jurisdiction of the bishops of Béziers.

In a time related encounter, the priory enters into the king of France vassalage soon as 1268 , which confer him an additional protection largely raised in 1335 when king Philippe VI de Valois has granted the privilege of protection and royal conservation.

He is associate in 1364 by pope Urbain V to the order of chanoines de Saint Ruf d’Avignon then of Valence  At least , in 1670 into the congregation of France directed by the powerful abbey of Sainte Geneviève de Paris .

 During the French Revolution, the monastery closed then sold including its domain in 1791 to Marc Antoine Thomas Mérigeaux , regional lawyer and deputy, takes then the lay appellation of “Chateau de Cassan”.

To the XIX and XX century several families of chatelaine succeed before  the castle would be bought by the government to become an educational  technical school for home economics ( 1946-1975) then reinsertion school for French overseas workers.

Starting from 1994 , it returns into the private domain and will have two successive owners until its purchase in 2002 by the  company SERCIB France.