Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France
Ancien château féodal
Lesparre-Médoc, Gironde, France
The record
- Designation
- Historic monument, classified (classé), in part
- Protection
- classé MH partiellement
- Extent of protection
- La tour : classement par arrêté du 10 septembre 1913
- Protection dates
- 1913/09/10 : classé MH
- Type
- château
- Ownership
- propriété de la commune
- Commune
- Lesparre-Médoc
- Département
- Gironde
- Region
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Country
- France
- Coordinates
- 45.30727, -0.94337
- Mérimée reference
- PA00083592
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesIGN France — GéoportailDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1783 map "103 Blaye." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Ministère de la Culture's notice
Historique
Le donjon carré est tout ce qui reste d'un important château qui fut pendant plusieurs siècles l'un des principaux fiefs relevant directement des ducs de Guyenne. Au 15e siècle, il fut vendu au roi d'Angleterre et devint l'un des principaux centres de la domination anglaise. Vendu à la Révolution comme bien national, il fut en grande partie démoli avant d'être racheté par la commune en 1840. D'après un relevé de 1846, l'enceinte avait la forme d'un hexagone irrégulier, protégé sur deux côtés par le ruisseau, les autres faces étant entourées de marais. La porte aujourd'hui disparue était flanquée de deux tours rondes. Le donjon qui protégeait le sommet le plus avancé du polygone, comprenait quatre étages dont les planchers ont disparu. La voûte supérieure qui porte la terrasse a une disposition spéciale : elle repose sur une double croisée d'arcs, les uns suivant les diagonales, les autres normaux aux faces.
English translation
The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com
History
The square keep is all that remains of an important castle which was for several centuries one of the principal fiefs held directly from the Dukes of Guyenne. In the 15th century, it was sold to the King of England and became one of the principal centres of English domination. Sold at the Revolution as national property, it was largely demolished before being repurchased by the commune in 1840. According to a 1846 survey, the enclosure had the shape of an irregular hexagon, protected on two sides by the stream, the other faces being surrounded by marshes. The gate, now disappeared, was flanked by two round towers. The keep which protected the most advanced summit of the polygon, comprised four storeys whose floors have disappeared. The upper vault which carries the terrace has a special arrangement: it rests on a double cross of arches, some following the diagonals, the others normal to the faces.
Nearby in the register
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.