Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Noaillac, located in the commune of Penne-d'Agenais (Lot-et-Garonne), has its origins in the late 12th or early 13th century with the construction of a Romanesque tower, still visible today inside the structure. Although not mentioned in the 13th century feudal tributes, the site is associated with the family of Noaillac, related to the Paga. The first written trace dates back to 1416, when the ostal (noble dwelling) was cited as the property of Arnaud Bayle, when a vaulted room was probably added to the existing tower.

In the 15th century, the castle became a co-seigneurie shared between the families of Bonal and Latour. Charles de Montpezat, lord of the place, paid tribute to the king in 1472 for Noaillac and other lands. When he died, his sister Esther de Montpezat, wife of Hélie de Bonal, inherited the estate. Their descendant, Yon de Bonal, confirmed possession in 1540 under François I. This period saw the enlargement of the castle: construction of a stairway tower with screws, a new house against the dungeon, and a castral chapel completed in 1530. A second residence is also built in the enclosure, reflecting the presence of coseigneurs.

In 1572 Antoine de Latour gave the castle to Antoine de Ladugie, whose daughter Catherine married Captain Huguenot Jean de Vivans in 1587. Under their auspices, the second residence was abandoned in favour of the first, remodeled in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Their descendant, Henri de Vivans, marquis and brigadier of cavalry, continued the line until the seigneury was erected as a marquisate in 1696. The castle then changed hands several times: bought in 1776 by Bernard Dedieu, then by Nicolas de Neymet during the Revolution, he remained in the latter family until 1952. In 1990, its architecture was added to the historical monuments since the cadastre of 1830.

External links