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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de Vilhonneur, located on the village of Vilhonneur in Charente (New Aquitaine), is a building whose origins date back to the fourteenth century for the dungeon, while other parts date back to the sixteenth century. This monument, partially destroyed, was originally protected by a drawbridge and moat, now filled. Its architecture includes a merlon gate with mâchicoulis, a guard corps, and a square dungeon flanked by a turret with a screw staircase. The facades and roofs of old buildings have been listed as historical monuments since 1966.

The castle belonged historically to the family of Chambes, of chivalry origin, who owned it from the twelfth century. This fief was then part of the diocese of Angoulême. The current remains include the fortified entrance, three towers (including the dungeon), the 16th century chapel door, and traces of a wall of enclosure. The chapel door, typical of the Renaissance, gave access to a vaulted room whose inner vault was perpendicular to the façade. Defensive elements, such as the murderers of the drawbridge and the decorative machicolis, bear witness to architectural adaptations between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

The entire site, though partly in ruins, illustrates the evolution of castles into seigneurial residences between the 14th and 16th centuries. The changes made in the 16th century reflect the changes in defensive needs and the aristocratic comfort of the time. The Château de Vilhonneur remains a characteristic example of the Charentais castral heritage, mixing medieval heritage and renaissant influences. Its inscription in historic monuments in 1966 underscores its heritage value, despite its fragmentary state.

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