Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The old castle of Andouque, located on the town of Crespin in the Tarn, is a medieval dungeon today in ruins. Mentioned from the year one thousand in an act of gift of the Viscount of Albi Aton III to the College of St Salvi, he probably belonged to this noble family. Some historians suggest that its tower may date from the 11th century, although its exact construction remains uncertain.

The family of Andouca, from the neighbouring village, seems to have owned the building. Among its members, Pierre d'Andouque, monk at Conques and bishop of Pamplona in Spain, is one of the notable figures associated with the castle. In the 14th century, part of the castle was sold by Sicard III de Lescure to Bonnecombe Abbey to finance its luxurious lifestyle.

In 1489, the castle, then owned by the king of France, was mentioned in an investigation into the right to pesade. It was used to defend the village of Andouque, dependent on Cordes, and was managed by a chestnut named by the local consuls. The latter was paid by the inhabitants, either in cash or in wheat, for 12 to 15 pounds of annual rents. The historian Alexandre Du Mège dedicated a memory to this monument in the 19th century.

Architecturally, the old castle of Andouque is today a ruin of rectangular stone dungeon, 7 to 12 meters high according to the remains. It was once accompanied by a castral chapel dedicated to Saint Michael, maintained thanks to the revenues of the censives. The site, built on a promontory, overlooks a meander of the Andouquette Creek, offering a strategic position.

With the creation of the municipality of Crespin at the beginning of the 20th century, the castle ceased to depend on the village of Andouque, marking the end of its direct administrative link with the latter. The current ruins testify to its historical importance, although its defensive and residential role has long disappeared.

External links