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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Bourgon Castle, located in the town of Valencia in Charente (New Aquitaine), is a representative example of the small rural seigneuries of the 15th century. Its architecture, although mostly dated from this period, includes older elements such as a vaulted cellar and a 13th century geminied bay. The house, originally L-shaped, was modified to adopt a rectangular plan flanked by two round towers at the northwest and southwest angles, as well as a polygonal tower with a screw staircase.

In the 14th century, the fief belonged to the family of Bourgon, before passing by alliance to the Barbezières (until 1515), then to the Mastins. Jean Martin became its owner in 1674. In the 18th century, General Jean-Guillaume de Lacroix de Bourgon was the lord. The chapel, built in the 16th century, has a Renaissance door and a vault with veins, while the interior preserves fireplaces of the 15th and 17th centuries. A missing wing, including commons, testifies to the past extension of the domain.

The lower courtyard, accessible by a double gate, houses a barn with rare frames. The castle, inscribed in the historical monuments in 2011, illustrates the architectural evolution of the seigneurial houses, combining medieval defenses (murder, integrated latrines) and elements of Renaissance comfort. The potential archaeological remains on the site highlight its local historic significance.

Sources also mention notable acquisitions, such as tapestries of Bourg-Charente Castle in 1760 by François Martin, seigneur of Bourgon. The building, although partially renovated, preserves defensive features (tours, murders) and residential features (conservative staircases, open fireplaces), reflecting its central role in Charente seigneurial life.

The castle of Bourgon thus embodies almost five centuries of history, from medieval origins to transformations of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, passing through its Renaissance climax. Its recent inscription (2011) aims to preserve this emblematic heritage of the Poitou-Charentes, now integrated into New Aquitaine.

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