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Origin and history

The Château de Gorce, located in Pleuville in Charente, finds its origins in a family attested since 1160, the Fontlebons. However, it was only in 1473 that Antoine de Fontlebon was mentioned as Lord of Gorce, marking the beginning of his documented history. The fief, transmitted by succession, was sold in 1787 by Jean d-Asnière to Jacques du Verrier de Boulzat, who would not leave France during the Revolution. The present castle, built in the late Middle Ages, preserves remains of its primitive circular dungeon near the pond.

The architecture of the castle is organized into a U-shaped plan, with an entrance châtelet connected to the house by a flying bridge, and wings of commons dating partly from the seventeenth century. The house, adorned with a Renaissance door and a well-preserved shield, is flanked by a round tower with a pepperpot. The mâchicoulis and grooves of an old drawbridge remind of its defensive character. A beam dated 1654 in the commons bears witness to subsequent changes.

Gorce Castle, classified as a historic monument in 2002, had several owners in the 20th century. Today, it is privately owned and illustrates the architectural evolution of castles in Charente, combining medieval elements and additions of modern times. Its inscription protects notably the chestnut, the facades of the house, and the wings of the communes, thus preserving an emblematic heritage of the Confolentais.

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