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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The dungeon of Marthon, located in the eponymous village of Charente, is the only vestige of a castle built between the 12th and 13th centuries. Originally integrated into a polygonal enclosure, it served as a major defensive point, supplemented by a housing body and a Romanesque chapel on two levels: one for pilgrims and the other for the lord. The tower, formerly called the Breuil Tower, overlooked a prosperous chestnutlia, linked to the Marthon seigneury attested since the tenth century.

The seigneury of Marthon, held from the tenth century by noble families like the Montberon, played a strategic role during medieval conflicts. During the Hundred Years War (1337-1453), the lords remained faithful to the French crown, but the castle was set on fire by the English in 1347, devastating the region. In the 15th century, the castle served as a base for the Royal Army during the tensions between Louis XI and his brother Charles, Duke of Guyenne. The building of a new castle in the 16th century, initiated by Hubert de La Rochefoucauld, accelerated the abandonment of old structures.

Architecturally, the square dungeon had defensive features: an isolated lower room, accessible only by a circular bay, and a screw staircase leading to the upper floors. Vaulted and devoid of original masonry stairways, it was partially damaged in 1960. Ranked a Historical Monument in 1928, it recalls the importance of fortresses in medieval territorial control, between seigneurial protection and reception of pilgrims. Today, it remains as silent witness to this turbulent history, owned by the Charente department.

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