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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Audignies Castle, located in the Northern Department, is a monument dating back to the 4th quarter of the 14th century. It was originally built as a strong house by William of Sars (1370-1438), son of Alard, the Lion of Sars, first lord of Audignies. This castle, with moat fed by a tributary of the Hogneau, was intended to maintain order in the Hainaut and protect the inhabitants. The original structure includes a square tower (9 x 9 meters, 25 meters high), built in 1420 with two sandstone levels and two brick, topped by a slate roof. This tower, designated as a dungeon, symbolizes the seigneurial power of the time.

In the 17th century, the castle underwent a major transformation under William II of the Mount, bailli of Chimay and sovereign councillor of Hainaut. It connects the medieval tower to the southern house body (built at the same time as the tower) by an addition, enhances the tower by two levels, and converts it together into a recreational residence. The facades mix sandstone and brick, while the house is covered with a broken rump pierced with skylights. A coat of arms of the seigneurs du Mont dominates the cochère door of the drawbridge, a witness to family alliances.

The interior design dates mainly from the 18th century, attributed to the Van Damme family, which adds a refined decor. In the 19th century, works made the castle more comfortable, without altering its historical character. Partly inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1984, the castle retains protected elements: facades, roofs (excluding modern wing), an interior staircase with wooden ramp, and fireplaces decorated in living rooms and rooms. Its history reflects the architectural and social evolutions of Hainaut, between medieval defense and aristocratic art of living.

The historical sources also mention Jean du Chasteler, lord in 1525, who owns the castle without modifying it, and the Album de Croÿ (circa 1600) showing the dungeon without roof. These documentary traces underline the continuity of the seigneurial occupation, from the Sars to the Du Mont, passing through figures such as Guillaume de Sars, provost of Quesnoy (1409-1418) and then baili de Hainaut (1418-1422), near Philippe le Bon, Duke of Burgundy.

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