First description of the central pavilion 1729 (≈ 1729)
Mention of the dovecote and current condition retained.
1756
Construction of wings and park
Construction of wings and park 1756 (≈ 1756)
Creation of the aisles and closure of the estate.
1870
Battle of Loigny
Battle of Loigny 1870 (≈ 1870)
Castle turned into a country hospital.
1910
Restoration of the park
Restoration of the park 1910 (≈ 1910)
Recapture of original plans by Jamain.
1986
First entry MH
First entry MH 1986 (≈ 1986)
Fronts, roofs and dovecote protected.
1988
Second entry MH
Second entry MH 1988 (≈ 1988)
Garden and park classified.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facades and roofs of the main body with its wings; dovecoier (cad. C 151): entry by order of 30 December 1986; Garden: entrance courtyard; The park consists of the central aisle with the transverse aisles and counterways, the groves, the stilts under the futai and the slit wall to the west (cad. C 151; C2 898, 903, 900): entry by order of 27 December 1988
Key figures
Jamain - Landscape architect
Restore the park in 1910.
Famille de Ramezay - Former owner
First family associated with the castle.
Famille Fougeron - Last known owner
Owner after the Judge.
Origin and history
The Château de Villeprévost, located in Tillay-le-Péneux in Eure-et-Loir, is a rare example of a beauceronne belge, built between the 16th and 18th centuries. In 1729, a description of the site already mentioned the central pavilion and circular dovecote, while in 1756 two wings and commons were added, accompanied by the creation of a park and its aisles. This park, designed by a gardener trained at the school of Le Nôtre, is ordered according to an axis directed towards the sunset of August 15, reflecting the influence of the 18th century French gardens.
The castle is listed in two stages: in 1986 for its facades, roofs and dovecote, and in 1988 for its garden and park. The latter, abandoned and restored in 1910 by the landscape architect Jamain according to original plans, illustrates the art of classical gardens. The site is also marked by local history, including the capture of the Orgères band, robbers whose evils marked collective memory.
During the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, the Château de Villeprévost was transformed into a country hospital by the Bavarians after the Battle of Loigny, which took place near the site of Tanon, a hamlet of Tillay-le-Péneux. This conflict between the Army of the Loire, supported by the Pontifical Zouaves, and Prussian troops, leaving a lasting imprint in local history.
The castle is associated with several successive families: the Ramezay, the Judge, and the Fougeron. Its architecture and park, designed to reflect the prestige of its owners, testify to the stylistic evolutions of the 17th and 18th centuries in Beauce. The Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Étienne chapel, integrated into the estate, completes this heritage complex.
Tillay-le-Péneux, where the castle stands, is a rural municipality in the Centre-Val de Loire region of Eure-et-Loir. Its name, derived from Tigletus Paganorum (attested in 914), evokes an ancient tillay and installation of Normands in the 9th century. The town also houses megalithic remains, such as the dolmen of Pierre Godon and the tumulus of Menainville, classified as Historic Monuments.
The castle park, restored in the early twentieth century, is a remarkable example of the 18th century landscape heritage. Its geometric organization, its aisles and its groves make it an emblematic site of the art of French gardens, adapted to the rural context of the Beauce. Today, the estate remains a major architectural and historical testimony of the region.
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