First written entry 1407 (≈ 1407)
Document attesting its medieval existence.
1598
End of abandonment
End of abandonment 1598 (≈ 1598)
Recovery after degradation.
1600
Restoration by Soupiret
Restoration by Soupiret 1600 (≈ 1600)
Pre-resale work at d-Harambure.
1818 (avant)
Addition of a building body
Addition of a building body 1818 (avant) (≈ 1818)
Extension against the original tower.
2004
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 2004 (≈ 2004)
Tower protection and ditches.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The tower and the building behind it, in full; the full ground upon which these structures stand; the ditch and its walls, the door and the sleeping bridge (see Box AY 192): registration by order of 16 September 2004
Key figures
Pierre Soupiret - Owner restaurant
Buy and repair the house in 1600.
Jean d’Harambure - Lord of Romefort
Acquire the site the same year.
Origin and history
The fortified house of the Boissière, located in Ciron (Indre), is mentioned for the first time in 1407. Its origin dates back to the second half of the 13th century, with an initial structure in the form of a quasi-square tower, comprising a lower room and two floors. The building, rebuilt in the 15th century, was abandoned until 1598, when it was in very poor condition. Near the house, a round turret housing a dovecote and a cellar remains, testimony to its seigneurial and agricultural use.
In 1600, the fort house was bought by Pierre Soupiret, who undertook restoration work, including the covering, before reselling it the same year to Jean d'Harambure, seigneur of Romefort. The building, probably originally equipped with an additional floor, underwent major modifications in the 18th century: reconstruction of the north escarp of the ditch and replacement of the drawbridge with a dormant arch. Before 1818, a building body was added against the tower, marking a final phase of architectural evolution.
Ranked as a Historic Monument in 2004, the strong house now retains its tower and back-to-back building, as well as its land, ditches and sleeping bridge. These elements illustrate its defensive and residential role, typical of the strong houses of the region, at the crossroads between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Its present state reflects the successive transformations, from its medieval abandonment to its modern restorations, while preserving traces of its original seigneurial organization.
