Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house Grégueil, also called Petit Château, is a mansion located on Rue de la Victoire in Châteaumeillant, in the department of Cher. Built in the late 15th century, it underwent major transformations in the 16th and 19th centuries. The oldest part, dating from the 15th century, includes low and high rooms. In the 16th century, a stone staircase turret was added, and a wing of the mansion was elongated. Subsequent work revealed rare murals, including gothic inscriptions and blue-brown camaïeu decorations.

The mansion belonged to the family of Marcillac, royal notaries, including the famous glass painter Guillaume de Marcillat and his father Pierre de Marcillat, bourgeois signatory to the Great Charter of La Châtre. In the 18th century, Jean-Baptiste Légier de la Chassaigne, the first mayor of Châteaumeillant, made it his residence. In 1777 he bought the house, as evidenced by a document discovered during work in 2012-2013. In the 20th century, the Grégueil family took possession of it before the municipality acquired it in 1954 to save it from destruction.

Grégueil House was listed in the historical monuments inventory in 1964. It has been home to the Emile-Chenon Museum, dedicated to local history, and has also served as a tourist office. The restoration works preserved unique architectural and decorative elements, such as a 17th-century painted floor ceiling and 19th-century romantic panelling. These discoveries confirmed the historic and artistic importance of the building.

The mansion is a remarkable example of medieval and modern civil architecture, with Gothic and classical influences. Wall paintings, including linear rinsels and leaf interlaces, are rare evidence of the civil decoration of the period. The windows, adorned with lashes, and Gothic inscriptions add to its heritage value. These elements, combined with its history of influential families, make it an essential site of the Cher's heritage.

External links