Origins of building XIIIe siècle (≈ 1350)
First phase of construction (Gothic vaults).
1660
Date engraved on opening
Date engraved on opening 1660 (≈ 1660)
Full arch hanger decorated with motifs.
1678
Portal lintel
Portal lintel 1678 (≈ 1678)
Blacksmith tools and carved date.
1784
Door modification
Door modification 1784 (≈ 1784)
Date on the input key.
9 décembre 1985
Heritage protection
Heritage protection 9 décembre 1985 (≈ 1985)
Registration of architectural decorations.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The elements of the architectural decoration of the street façade, as well as the old balcony on the courtyard (cad. E 596, 597): entry by order of 9 December 1985
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
The source text does not mention any historical actors.
Origin and history
The former Castillon-du-Gard forge, also known as the former presbytery, is distinguished by its composite structure straddling from the 13th to the 17th century. Backed by the village walls and adjoining the old church, it illustrates the local architectural evolution. Its ground floor was once home to the village forge, marked by three vaulted rooms: one in the middle of the hanger and two at cross edges. A balcony decorated with carved consoles precedes one of these rooms, while blacksmith tools (tenails, etc.) and engraved dates (1660, 1678, 1784) adorn portals and openings, testifying to its artisanal use and successive transformations.
The inner courtyard reveals a straight staircase leading to the street, whose underside has grotesque motifs and a key of floral vault. Nearby, the ruins of a tower run along the rampart, adding to the heterogeneity of the site. The decorative elements of the facades (balcony, lintels, doors) were protected by a registration order in 1985, highlighting their heritage value. The date of 1784 on the key of the entrance door suggests a final phase of modification, after the blacksmith period.
The building embodies the religious and artisanal duality of Castillon-du-Gard: a dedicated presbytery and a place of metallurgical production. The carved tools (tenails) and engraved dates (17th century) evoke the importance of the forge in community life, while its proximity to the church and ramparts reflects the medieval and modern organization of the village. The remains of the tower and the Gothic vaults also recall the defensive and religious context of the region, marked by wars and reconstruction in medieval and classical times.
