Gate, by the main bridge over the Orne river. The mound at the centre of Écouché, although rendered useless by the fire of 1136, was a reminder of the feudal lord's authority. It was reduced in volume only at the beginning of the 19th century, after the Revolution, to allow some dwellings to be built near the church. What remains of the mound is now covered with private gardens. The towers of Écouché Originally, the stone towers (in Écouché usually hexagonal) were places of observation of the surrounding countryside and of defence at the town gates. There remain vestiges of the sentinels' places of rest and observation. Ownership of a tower soon became a status symbol for the better-off, and in the 15th century new ones grew up in various places around the town; fifteen survive today. They were also useful as containing staircases between the various levels of the house. The tower-staircase thus became the backbone of the building, usually situated on the rear façade, that giving on to the street being reserved for trade. Inside the tube, the winding staircase, made of limestone, is of spiral form in which one end of each step fits into the outer wall, and the other end into a central column. It may turn to the right or the left at the choice of the builder. Such steps are usually constructed to turn in a clockwise direction going up, the right hand at the central column. Going down, the right hand goes against the wall. But in Écouché and the surrounding areas, most staircases built in the 15th century turn to the left – English style, as it is said. It is unknown if this was from the 30 years of English occupation during the Hundred Years War. A possible explanation of this originality is that it affords the defender better protection in the event of a last-stand fight inside the tower: in combat with the sword or even with the pistol, the defender is less exposed than the assailant. The towers, or at least some of them, were linked by a network of tunnels which is today impassable, although legend has it that "a barrel filled with gold" lies within it. Écouché before the Revolution The Lords With the exception of a few years in the 18th century, the feudal lords of Ecouché never made it their home. Alfred de Caix