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Origin and history

The former Drugy Castle, located in the hamlet of Drugy in Saint-Riquier (Somme), is a medieval monument whose existence has been attested since the 13th century. In 1217, a first castle would have existed, but under Gilles de Marchemont (1272), fortification works were undertaken. In 1361, Abbé Philippe du Fossé financa made major repairs for 400 gold ecus, thus consolidating the building, then dependent on the abbey of Saint-Riquier.

In September 1430 Jeanne d'Arc was imprisoned in a castle room, still visible today. After the Hundred Years' War damaged the structure, Abbé Pierre Le Prestre had it rebuilt between 1457 and 1465. However, in 1475, by order of Louis XI, the castle was burned with the abbey, although it continued to be occupied until its dismantling in 1709.

From the medieval castle, there is only one vaulted hall in the northwest and a third-point window in the south. In the 18th century, the building was partially rebuilt on a farm, keeping the original polygonal plan. The barn is dated 1766 by metal anchors. The tower housing the cachot of Jeanne d'Arc has been listed as a historical monument since 1943.

The castle was initially composed of a large tower and eight turrets, according to the chronicles. After its partial destruction, it was transformed into a farm, with two-storey buildings for houses and a level for stables. The room called the cachot of Jeanne d'Arc is covered with flat tiles, while the other roofs alternate slates and mechanical tiles.

The site is linked to the history of the Abbey of Saint-Riquier, on which the seigneury of Drugy had depended since 831. The current remains bear witness to its strategic role and evolution, from medieval fortress to post-revolutionary fortress. The memory of Jeanne d'Arc, prisoner in these places, makes it an emblematic site of Picardie.

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