Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France
Tour du Chesne
Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, France
The record
- Designation
- Historic monument, registered (inscrit)
- Protection
- inscrit MH
- Extent of protection
- Tour du Chesne (cad. AC 796) : inscription par arrêté du 13 mars 1944
- Protection dates
- 1944/03/13 : inscrit MH
- Type
- édifice fortifié
- Main period of construction
- 2e quart 15e siècle
- Dates
- 1444
- Ownership
- propriété de la commune
- Address
- 10 rue Nantaise ; rue Carrefour-Jouault
- Commune
- Rennes
- Département
- Ille-et-Vilaine
- Region
- Bretagne
- Country
- France
- Mérimée reference
- PA00090755
The Ministère de la Culture's notice
Historique
Cette tour faisait partie de l'enceinte fortifiée de la ville. Sa construction remonte à 1444. Son nom lui vient de ce qu'elle servait de demeure, en 1473, à Jehan du Chesne, grand portier de Rennes. Le menuisier Piron, qui l'habita vers 1735, lui donna également son nom. La douve qui la cernait a été comblée, mais la tour présente un fruit apparent à sa base. Le couronnement de mâchicoulis est encore visible. Au 16e siècle, elle servait de prison. La basse fosse était munie d'une trappe par laquelle étaient descendus les prisonniers à l'aide d'une "balance".
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
This tower formed part of the fortified enclosure of the town. Its construction dates to 1444. Its name comes from the fact that it served as a residence in 1473 to Jehan du Chesne, great usher of Rennes. The carpenter Piron, who lived there around 1735, also gave it his name. The ditch that surrounded it has been filled in, but the tower presents an apparent slope at its base. The machicolated crown is still visible. In the 16th century, it served as a prison. The deep dungeon was provided with a trap through which prisoners were lowered by means of a "hoist".