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Origin and history

The castle of Bois-Sire-Amé, located in Vorly in the Cher, was built between the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century by Jacquelin Bisseau, bourgeois enriched by the linen trade in Bourges. Authorized by Charles VI in 1396, this "country palace" reflected the ambition of an officer of the ducal court, close to the construction sites of Jean de Berry. Its toponym, Boscus Domini Amelii, dates back to an 11th century feudal motte attributed to Ameil du Bois in 1220, itself mentioned in 1150 in the founding documents of the Abbay de Noirlac.

The castle became a popular residence of Charles VII, who regularly stayed there from 1446, organizing celebrations and diplomatic receptions. His wife, Mary of Anjou, then lived in Mehun-sur-Yèvre. Historians suggest that Charles VII found his mistress Agnes Sorel there, although this hypothesis is contested. After the death of Kitseau, the castle hosted in 1455 a banquet offered by Charles d'Anjou in honour of his mistresses, before being abandoned around 1456, perhaps in connection with the disgrace of Jacques Coeur.

Architecturally, the castle combined a house body flanked by round towers and a crenellated square tower, all lined with ditches. The chapel, located in the southeast tower, preserves Gothic frescoes (Couronnement of the Virgin, Last Judgment). Ruined since the Revolution, the site was partially classified as a Historic Monument between 1924 and 2019. Today, only remnants of the house and enclosure remain, despite recent preservation projects.

The castle changed hands several times: acquired in 1587 by André Tollet, then in 1682 by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, it served as a stone quarry after the Revolution. François I reportedly stayed there in 1524, inspiring a quatrain wrongly associated with Agnes Sorel. The frescoes of the chapel, vaulted on a dogive cross, and the latrines in corbellation testify to its past luxury, announcing the Renaissance castles.

The successive protections (classification of the chapel door in 1924, inscription of the ruins in 1926, classification of the tower in 1931, and overall inscription in 2019) underline its heritage importance. However, the lack of major restoration threatens its conservation, despite the interest of local communities. The site remains a key testimony of late seigneurial architecture in Berry, between medieval fortress and marina.

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