Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The fort house of Crouailles, located in Saires en Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is a historical monument whose construction spans from the 15th to the 18th century. It is distinguished by its original spatial organization, combining a bassyard divided into two distinct spaces without breaking in their exterior walls. Originally, the house was protected by a ditch, now partially filled but still visible to the west. Its trapezoidal plan incorporates two bodies of parallel houses, separated by an inner courtyard, and backed on the small north and south sides of the quadrilateral. The southern house was enlarged in the 14th century by the addition of a second building, while the walls of the enclosure are crowned with a round road and a scald at the southeast corner.

In the 18th century, the North House underwent a significant modernization: its lighting was improved and a peak at the Mansart was built there, reflecting the architectural changes of the period. The main entrance, formerly preceded by a bridge over the ditch, testifies to its initial defensive character. The remaining elements, including the courts and the ground, were inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of May 28, 2010, highlighting their heritage value. The location, although specified as "satisfactory" (note 7/10), remains associated with the municipality of Saires, in the department of Vienna, in the New Aquitaine region.

The strong house illustrates the adaptation of seigneurial residences to residential and defensive needs, from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Its hybrid architecture, blending medieval features (fossed, scalable) and classic (comble to the Mansart), makes it a remarkable example of the evolution of fortified houses in Poitou-Charentes. Available sources from Monumentum and Merimée data confirm its status as a protected monument and its historical interest, although little information details its use or its occupants over the centuries.

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