Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The 13th century house in Fons is a rare example of medieval civil architecture preserved in the Lot. Its elevation on the street still shows the remains of a lost wood strip, recognizable by the wall heads and in corbellation at the corners. These elements suggest a half-timbered structure, typical of the urban dwellings of the period, now erased but partially legible in the residual masonry.

The north-west lateral elevation, built of cut stone, reveals remarkable technical details for the thirteenth century. At the first level the discharge arch remains, and the counter-heart of a chimney, whose polygonal strain, surmounted by a lantern, dominates the gable. This strain, the only vestige of this type with Fons, is topped by a stone cone supported by small columns. A pulley found in its upper part suggests that it also served as a lantern, a rare function for a domestic fireplace.

Ranked Historic Monument by order of 2 January 1929, only the chimney stump enjoys official protection. The building thus illustrates the constructive medieval techniques, mixing stone and wood, while at the same time testifying to the way of life of the local elites at a time when Fons, located on the road between Saint-Céré and Figeac, played a role in regional exchanges. Its current state, though partial, offers a valuable overview of the easy habitat in Occitanie in the Middle Ages.

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