Delley
Origin of the name Delley
The village appears in 1342 as « Deler », a name whose meaning remains obscure. The family that held the lordship called itself sometimes d'Agnens, sometimes de Delley.[1]
Founding of Delley
Delley grew up around a lordship. The lords d'Agnens, or d'Asnens, acquired it in 1268. Their name comes from Agnens, a hamlet between Saint-Aubin and Vallon that disappeared in the 16th century. The village lived from livestock, fishing and varied crops, and tourism later brought services. Delley is now part of the municipality of Delley-Portalban (merger of 2005).[1]
History of Delley
1224-1239. Property held in fief from the chapter of Lausanne cathedral is recorded in 1224 and 1239. The fief later passes from the chapter to Pierre de Savoie.[1]
1268. The d'Agnens family acquires the lordship. In the 14th century it is split up.[1]
1342. The village's name is written « Deler ».[1]
1488. Delley has a church, which will be rebuilt in the 18th century.[1]
1536. The village is attached to the Fribourg bailiwick of Estavayer.[1]
1679. Nicolas de Castella buys the lordship from Judith Demoulin. His family keeps it for seven generations.[1][3]
Vers 1706. The architect André-Joseph Rossier builds the manor for Colonel Jean-Antoine de Castella.[1][2]
1711. On 23 August Bishop Jacques Duding consecrates the manor chapel, dated 1710.[2][3]
1713-1735. The church of Saint-Jacques is rebuilt from 1713 and consecrated in 1735. Its porch tower follows in 1749.[1][2]
1774-1776 (ou 1774-1777). Two symmetrical wings, designed by the architect Charles de Castella for Tobie de Castella, are added on either side of the manor.[1][2]
1798-1848. Delley belongs to the district of Estavayer, then to Montagny from 1804 and to Dompierre from 1831 to 1848.[1]
1858. Delley and Portalban form a parish, separated from that of Saint-Aubin. The church gets a new choir and its interior is altered in 1858-1859.[1][2]
1909. The village builds a dairy and cheese factory.[2]
1957. A municipal complex brings together the administration and the primary school.[2]
1971-1983. A campsite opens in 1971, a harbour for small boats in 1983.[1]
1983. The last descendant of the Castella de Delley sells the manor to the Swiss Federation of Plant Breeders, today the Swiss federation of seed producers.[2][3]
2005. On 1 January Delley merges with Portalban, under a decree of 18 November 2004.[1][4]
Population of Delley
Sources and references: [1]
| 1811 | 251 |
| 1850 | 315 |
| 1900 | 337 |
| 1950 | 358 |
| 1960 | 299 |
| 2000 | 414 |
Historic sites in Delley
Castella manor. Built around 1706 by André-Joseph Rossier and enlarged with two wings in the 1770s, the manor was restored in 1941 and renovated in 1985-1986 and 1988-1990.[1][2]
Trinity chapel. The votive chapel of the manor, dated 1710, bears the arms of Jean-Antoine de Castella and Marie-Élisabeth de Boccard. It is also placed under the protection of the Virgin and Saint Anthony of Padua, patrons of the founder and his wife.[2][3]
Church of Saint-Jacques. Begun around 1713 and consecrated in 1735, the church received its porch tower in 1749 and a flat-ended choir with sacristy around 1858.[2]
Remains in Delley
Hamlet of Agnens. The hamlet that gave its name to the first lords lay between Saint-Aubin and Vallon. It disappeared in the 16th century.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Delley » (Marianne Rolle, version du 26.09.2016)
- Service des biens culturels du canton de Fribourg, Recensement cantonal des sites construits d'importance régionale et locale (SCRoL), « Delley », février 2026
- Vitrosearch (Vitrocentre Romont), « Château de Delley »
- État de Fribourg, Recueil systématique (RSF 141.1.2), « Liste chronologique des fusions, divisions et changements de nom des communes »
Other villages near Delley
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