Château d'Ordière

English translation

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History

This castle was part of the diocese of Poitiers. In the 14th century, the fief of Ordière had the right of castellany and belonged to the La Rochefoucauld family. Abel Pastoureau appears to be the patron of the central main dwelling, from 1605 to 1617, which came to replace a dilapidated building that ran along the east wall of the old keep and served as a parapet walk. This building consists of two distinct elements: the former fortress of the 15th century with its corner towers and its enclosure walls which must have been surrounded by moats (except to the east), and its large south-east cylindrical tower which still rises to the height of the consoles of the machicolations; the main dwelling body of the early 16th century presenting elements of decoration already classical (late 16th - early 17th century). This ensemble is defended to the north by a first row of buildings flanked by a tall tower which became a dovecote. Entry into the courtyard is by a round-arched porch topped with the grooves of a drawbridge. The main dwelling offers a rectangular plan with, overlooking the courtyard, a tower with cut-off corners which houses the spiral staircase and which is decorated with a coat of arms dated 1617. Openings with a gothic appearance stand alongside openings with Renaissance decoration. The interior preserves nine early 17th-century fireplaces and two others from the early 16th century. A small stream was converted into a pond and basins, already recorded in 1604.