A little history:
The first traces of the existence of Ruillé-en-Champagne appear in the Gallo-Roman under the name Rulliacum of Rullum whose origin has been the subject of two hypotheses: JR Pesche, local historian, who thinks rust (ferruginous land) and another that identifies this place as the field Ruel, significant time. The localities of "Forge" and "Fabrice" recall the existence of Gallo-Roman ironworks.
Around the year 600, a priory was founded in Ruillé under the patronage of two Roman soldiers beatified, St Nazaire and St. Celsus, which remained the patron saints of the parish. There is every reason to believe that this priory was at the town hall square and the school today which is near the farm of the "Priory".
In feudal times, the lordship of the parish was annexed to the land of the Roche-Couasnon, headed by the lord of Couasnon (we found traces of this family since 1203) who lived at Roche which nothing remains of the remains that the chapel, founded in 1492, during renovation. The arms of this family (three silver adjuster sand six points) remained one of the town. At that time, there was spread on the territory of the parish, many other mansions: Laval-Pean (Valpéan), Laval Aubin (Valaubin), Laval-Huon (Vauhuon), Mont-Cruchet, Coudray. .. inhabited by petty lords whose presence in such large numbers was often a source of conflict (for example, the assassination of Lord de la Roche-Couasnon by Mr. Montcruchet of the 16th century). All those damned land eventually, over time, due to marriage, transactions, plots owned by the field Sourches which they depended.
A revolution, Ruillé had about 1 200 inhabitants, largely composed of farmers. Careers tell Bernay were in full operation, part of the village, located near the present cemetery, home to some weavers who worked including hemp grown in the surrounding countryside. In these times, Ruillé and the nearby town of Saint-Symphorien were part of the canton of-the-Epineu Deer and District Sille-la-Montagne (Sille-le-Guillaume). In 1801 they will definitely met in Canton Conlie.
About this time the village experienced the most turbulent period in its history. He found himself at the center of a Royalist uprising in western France, after conviction, and execution of King Louis XVI. These disorders, called the "Chouannerie" will be responsible for the deaths of 14 residents Ruillé.
The "Chouans" local soldiers opposed to the Republic had set up camp in Saint-Symphorien, on a hill at the edge of the forest of Charnie at a place called the "Camp de la Vache Noire ', close Mount Porcher. They were led by Louis Courtillé, nicknamed "Saint-Paul, a servant of a farm Epineu-the-Roe. The latter was killed in February 1796 during a confrontation with the Republican troops at Mount Livois on the common Amne. This period of great insecurity in the region lasted until 1841.
Some residents participated Ruillé themselves as to the Napoleonic era and gave their lives on battlefields all over Europe.
In 1871, the town also had to undergo the Prussian occupation that followed the defeat of Napoleon III. Renaissance sculptures of the lintel of the door of the chapel at Roche were broken.
At the end of the 19th century the town was prosperous and he had about 900 residents and twenty businesses: many grocery stores, 4 cafes, bakeries, carpentry, blacksmith, wheelwrights? all of which have unfortunately disappeared. There were lime kilns, ovens hemp flour mills in operation, some of which have been preserved.
