Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Tour d'Oyré found its origins around 1180, when Raoul de Faye-la-Vinue, uncle of Alienor d'Aquitaine, ordered its construction. In the 13th century, it became property of the bishopric of Poitiers after having been ceded by Guillaume de Riveau to Hugues de Châteauroux in 1262. The castle then served as a secondary residence for the bishops until 1447, when Guillaume Gouge de Charpaignes sold it to Charles d'Anjou, in exchange for Harcourt's castle in Chauvigny.

The building, inscribed with historical monuments in 1987, presents a body of rectangular houses flanked by square towers on a round path, typical of the 15th and 16th centuries. Its interior, profoundly redesigned in the 19th century, preserves a living room with painted decorations. Apart from the main house, a barn could correspond to an older vestige. The estate, fragmented during the Revolution, is now part of a vast park at the entrance to the village of Availles-en-Châtellerault.

The castle illustrates the architectural and functional transformations suffered by seigneurial residences and then episcopal residences in Poitou. Its history reflects the exchange of lands between nobility and clergy, as well as the successive adaptations to residential needs, from medieval origins to modern beautifications. The 1987 protection covers facades, roofs and the 19th century lounge, reflecting the heritage value of these historic strata.

External links