Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Maillou, located in Saint-Saturnin in Charente, is mentioned for the first time in the 15th century as a fief dependent on the castle of Angoulême. Originally, it was a simple hamlet with a "hotel" or seigneurial accommodation, owned by the lords of Mosnac between 1457 and 1571. In 1539, the property was acquired by the Nesmond family, merchants and lawyers from Angoumois, who became their lords in 1579. The site was not a fortified castle at that time, but a rural estate among others (such as Tarsac or Mouillac).

In 1580, François Nesmond, State Councillor and President of the Parliament of Bordeaux, began the construction of the square dungeon and north wing, in a defensive style linked to the Wars of Religion. His son, André Nesmond (1553–1616), heir to his office thanks to the support of Mary of Medici, added the eastern wing in the 17th century. There is still confusion about Calvin's possible stay at the castle, but the sources place his accommodation in a nearby parish house, where he would have written Comments in 1534 or 1562.

The estate changed hands in 1712, moving to the Rambaud family, which kept it for a century. The present castle thus combines medieval elements (unfinished dungeon, dome vault, scallop) and Renaissance additions (house bodies, 17th century wing). The whole also includes wine buildings and a dovecote, typical of Charente estates. The dungeon, initially accessible by a drawbridge, symbolizes the religious tensions of the time, while the wings reflect the social ascent of the Nesmonds.

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