Construction of the fort house XIIIe siècle (2e moitié) - XIVe siècle (1ère moitié) (≈ 1350)
Presumed period of construction on castral motte.
XIVe siècle (2e moitié)
Abandonment of the site
Abandonment of the site XIVe siècle (2e moitié) (≈ 1450)
Site abandoned unspecified on causes.
4 novembre 1987
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 4 novembre 1987 (≈ 1987)
Listing of items retained in inventory.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Large main rectangular building; two auxiliary buildings flanking it in the North and South; Bread oven below eastward; Two half-moon ditches lined with ramparts of earth (cf. A 178): registration by order of 4 November 1987
Key figures
Seigneurs de Saint-Yrieix - Suspected sponsors
He said he had the house built in the fourteenth.
Origin and history
The Montamar fort house, located in Saint-Yrieix-le-Déjalat, is a 14th century military building erected by the local lords to monitor and control road traffic. This monument illustrates the defensive architecture characteristic of the medieval Limousin, with a rectangular building overlooking a summit platform, surrounded by two half-moon ditches and ramparts. These developments reflect the strategic needs of the era, combining seigneurial habitat with the protection system.
Two adjoining buildings flank the main structure to the north and south, while a bread oven, located below eastward, testifies to domestic activities related to the daily life of the garrison or occupants. Access to the whole was protected by defensive cuts, highlighting its role both residential and military. According to the sources, this strong house was built between the second half of the 13th century and the first half of the 14th century, before being abandoned in the second half of the 14th century, without the reasons for this abandonment being specified.
Classified as a Historical Monument by order of 4 November 1987, the Montamar Fort House now includes the main building, the annexes, the bread oven and the ditches with their ramparts. These elements, although partially preserved, offer an overview of the strong limousine houses, often built on castral mots to dominate the surrounding territory. The property now belongs to the municipality of Saint-Yrieix-le-Déjalat, but information on its accessibility to the public remains limited.
