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Origin and history

The Château de la Garde, located in Salignac-sur-Charente in Charente-Maritime, finds its origins in a medieval seigneury linked to that of Merpins. As early as the 15th century, the fief belonged to noble families such as the La Magdelaine, then the Greens of Saint-Marsault, who inherited it by alliance. The construction of the present castle, dated between 1606 and 1610, is attributed to Daniel Green of Saint-Marsault and his wife Marie de Blois, lady of Roullet. This couple, from a younger branch of the family, marked the history of the estate by erecting a home reflecting their social status.

In 1651 the seigneury was sold to Jean-Louis de Brémond, Marshal of the King's armies, who died shortly afterwards in the defence of Cognac during the Fronde. The castle remained in the Brémond family until the 18th century, passing notably to Charles de Brémond, Marquis d'Ars, then to his descendant, the Marquise de Verdelin, figure close to Jean-Jacques Rousseau. After complex inheritances and a sale in 1816, the estate fell to a local owner, Jean Girard, marking the end of his aristocratic era.

The architecture of the castle, characteristic of the seventeenth century, is distinguished by a body of elongated houses, two square towers to the south, and a north facade decorated with pilasters and skylights dated 1610. The interior courtyard is home to a circular leak, a witness to the estate's agricultural activities. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1987 for its facades and roofs, the castle illustrates the evolution of the Charente seigneuries, linked to viticulture and noble alliances.

Historical sources, such as the national archives and the works of Patrick Bouvart, confirm that the land of La Garde was still vassal of Merpins, contrary to some erroneous assertions. The notarial acts, such as the confession of 1470 or the will of Marguerite de Losme in 1493, shed light on the successive transmissions of the fief. These documents also reveal the matrimonial and land strategies of noble families, such as the Greens or the Brémonds, who shaped the history of the castle.

In the 19th century, after family sharing, the castle was given to local owners, marking its passage in the bourgeois giron. Today it is privately owned and retains protected elements such as its escape and carved decorations. Its history reflects the social changes of the Charente-Maritime, between Earth aristocracy, political crises like the Fronde, and adaptation to modern times.

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