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Origin and history

The castle of Ardenne, located in Moulidars in Charente, has its origins in the 12th century under the name of the tower of Montliard, a Comtal construction mentioned for the first time in 1117 in a charter between Richard de Montbrun and the Abbé de Saint-Cybard. This Romanesque tower, now integrated into the castle, served as a dungeon surrounded by ditches. Degraded during the Hundred Years War, it was restored in the 16th century with decorative additions such as mouldings and gargoyles in the shape of cannons.

In the 16th century, the lords of the Nourrigier enlarged the castle by adding a second tower and a 20-metre house, connecting the two structures. This house, initially on one floor, became the heart of the present castle, replacing the castle of the Court as the seigneurial residence of Moulidars. The site played a role during the Wars of Religion (1562-1598), especially during the Battle of Jarnac (1569), where Catholic troops, perhaps housed in the castle, monitored Protestants from its towers.

The 17th and 18th centuries marked an aesthetic transformation of the castle. A balustrade was added around the southern terrace, and the house body was raised from one floor, topped by an Italian style of the time. The interior was redesigned, with a wrought iron stairwell, while two pavilions extended the building. In 1717, Pierre Méhée d'Ardenne, the king's Musketeer, built a dovecote and a wall of enclosure, engraved with the date 1717.

The 19th century saw the disappearance of defensive elements (peppers, niches) and the destruction of northern dependencies. In 1891 the castle was acquired by the Hine family, cognac producers, who kept relics like the table where the prince of Condé died. Listed as a historical monument in 1978 for its facades, roofs, balustrade and staircases, the castle, private, is to open to the public in 2025 after renovation.

The name Ardenne appeared only in the 15th century, inspired by the Gaulish goddess Arduina, although the site existed since the 12th century. Its owners include the families of the Nourrigier (XVth-XVIth), Méhée d'Ardenne (XVIIth-XVIIIth), and Terrasson (XIXth). A 1603 engraving by Claude Chastillon, often wrongly attributed to another castle, remains the only ancient representation known.

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