First archival record 1278 (≈ 1278)
Castle quoted in medieval archives.
1789 (Révolution)
Becoming a bourgeois house
Becoming a bourgeois house 1789 (Révolution) (≈ 1789)
Change of status after the Revolution.
1839-1859
Construction of the current building
Construction of the current building 1839-1859 (≈ 1849)
Main period of work of the castle.
XVIIIe siècle
Transformation into a gentilhommière
Transformation into a gentilhommière XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1850)
Passage from a castle to a noble residence.
vers 1850
Expansion of the central part
Expansion of the central part vers 1850 (≈ 1850)
Major structural change.
1859 et 1896
Creation and completion of the park
Creation and completion of the park 1859 et 1896 (≈ 1896)
Landscape arrangements in two phases.
1943 et 1975
Late additions (parter and pond)
Late additions (parter and pond) 1943 et 1975 (≈ 1975)
Integrated modern landscape elements.
24 octobre 1988
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 24 octobre 1988 (≈ 1988)
Protection of facades and roofs.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs of all the elements: castle, porterie, stables, orangery, henhouse, dryer, kennel, drinker, wind farm, vegetable garden with pediluvius and two greenhouses (see AE 11, 12, 14-16): inscription by order of 24 October 1988
Key figures
Information non disponible - No names cited in the sources
The archives do not mention an owner or architect.
Origin and history
Tournelay Castle is a building located in the commune of Nueil-les-Aubiers in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Although its existence is attested, the available sources do not specify its construction period or detailed history. This monument remains a silent testimony of the local past, whose exact origins are still beyond current research.
The castles of this region, often linked to feudal history or agricultural activities, played a central role in the social and economic organization of the territories. In New Aquitaine, these buildings could be used as seigneurial residences, defence sites or administrative centres. Their presence generally reflects the strategic or symbolic importance of the place throughout the centuries, even if the archives sometimes lack to trace its precise evolution.
