Château

English translation

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History

Saint-Maixant was first a seigneury having high, middle and low justice, depending on the castellany of Aubusson. It became a marquisate in 1615. In 1270 the junior branch of La Roche Aymond settled there. The present building probably replaced an old fortress. It was built towards the end of the 14th or the beginning of the 15th century. Its plan follows that of most castles of the Haute Marche: a quadrilateral comprising, at each angle of the east façade, two round towers. The southern one has a larger diameter, indicating possible reconstruction, especially as its machicolations are lower than those of the curtain wall. The west façade rests on a projecting square tower, higher than the main dwelling, and containing a spiral staircase of 120 steps. A machicolated gallery commands all the walls of the dwelling and defends the three towers. It possesses murder-holes and machicolations. The moats partly survive to the east. To the west, the castle is preceded by a court of honour opening by a gate of the 17th century. Inside, the apartments were partially remade in the 18th century. The ground floor comprises two barrel-vaulted rooms. The south tower contains a chapel which has been altered. Some rooms have retained their stone fireplaces and 18th-century woodwork.