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Origin and history

The Château de la Gadelière, attested since 1342, is a house typical of the Hundred Years' War, designed more for farming than for defense. Its original plan, consisting of two square pavilions and a barlong body, reflects this dual vocation. Despite defensive elements such as water ditches, removable suspenders and an entrance châtelet with drawbridge (disappeared in 1793), his absence of solid enclosure confirms his modest role in the local seigneurial network. Major transformations took place in the 16th and 17th centuries, with the enlargement of the openings (trails, ties) and the addition of a straight wooden staircase in the east wing, partially replacing the original screw stairs.

In the 19th century, the castle lost its last defensive dispositions: the chestnut was demolished and the southern ditches were filled. At the beginning of the 20th century, a gallery was added to the backyard to modernize the interior distribution, while the old bays were converted into doors. The chapel, an ancient parish church of the Gadelière, preserves a Romanesque choir with a flat bedside, but its nave and frame are rebuilt in the late 15th or early 16th century. The small 17th-century octagonal dovecote bears witness to the modest status of the seigneury.

Ranked a Historic Monument, the site today protects the chapel and dovecote (since 1992), as well as the entire castle and its commons (since 2016). The soils forming its plate are also preserved, emphasizing the archaeological importance of the place. The successive transformations, although having altered its medieval aspect, illustrate the continuous adaptation of this monument to the needs of its occupants, between residential, agricultural and symbolic functions.

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