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Origin and history

The castle of Verneuil is a medieval castle built on a hilltop overlooking the town of Verneuil, in the Nièvre (Burgogne-Franche-Comté). Its initial construction dates back to the 14th century, as evidenced by a mention of 1309 in the Inventory of the Titles of Nevers by Michel de Marolles, where Guyot de La Perrière, son of Hugues, is cited as the first owner for "the houses of the Boue and Verneuil". The building, then referred to as a "strong house", was enlarged over the centuries, especially in the 15th century with the addition of corner towers and defensive systems such as as assumers and archers.

The current architecture rests on a square platform of 30 meters side, surrounded by ditches today filled. Four towers mark the corners, including a 14th-century main tower, the best preserved, equipped with murderers and a Renaissance bay decorated with canned pilasters. The house body, connected to the southern towers, dates from the 15th century, while a wing of the 17th century, two-storey and full-lit by an aileron skylight, bears witness to subsequent modifications. In the west, remains of the courtine and a round tower with a conical roof, pierced by archeries remain. A dovecote and a farm, integrated into the whole, recall the old courtyard.

The seigneury of Verneuil changed hands several times by marriage alliances. In 1309 Guyot de La Perrière was the first known holder. The family kept the castle until 1424, when Alix de La Perrière, granddaughter of Hugues, brought him in dowry to John III of La Rivière. By successive inheritances, the estate passes to the families of Digoine, Fontenay, then Babute and Bonnay. In 1662, François Léonard de Bonnay, the last lord of the lineage, married Catherine de Maumigny, whose nephew Paul inherited the castle. The family of Maumigny, then Cordon after the marriage of Marie de Maumigny with Joseph-Marie de Cordon in 1865, preserved Verneuil despite the Revolution, adding in the 18th century a body of Renaissance houses.

The castle has been partially listed as historical monuments since 12 March 1991, covering its facades, roofs, farm and dovecote. Literary sources, such as the works of Georges Richard de Soultrait or Adolphe de Mullot de Villenaut, document his history linked to the Niverese nobility, while his architecture reflects the defensive and residential evolutions between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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