Construction of housing 4e quart XVe siècle (≈ 1587)
Period of main foundation of the mansion.
6 juin 1994
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 6 juin 1994 (≈ 1994)
Legal protection of buildings and enclosures.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The house body, the facades and roofs of the agricultural dwelling, the facades and roofs of the buildings of the stables and attices; the barn; Enclosure (c. D 386): entry by order of 6 June 1994
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
Missing sources on the owners.
Origin and history
The mansion of Chezelles, located in La Guerche-sur-l'Aubois in the Cher, is a historical monument whose main house body dates from the 4th quarter of the 15th century. This building, typical of late medieval civil architecture, consists of a ground floor and one floor, with a northern facade marked by a prismatic tower housing a staircase. In the east, a triangular tower with a terrace dominates the whole, while in the south, a prominent square tower strengthens the structure. These defensive elements, though modest, evoke a function both residential and symbolic, unique to the rural mansions of the time.
Archaeological remains attest to the continued occupation of the site since the Gallo-Roman period, highlighting its strategic or agricultural importance over the long term. The central courtyard, surrounded by a rectangular enclosure of ditches, suggests a spatial organization typical of seigneurial or fortified agricultural estates. An angle tower, now disappeared, once completed this device. Inside, three medieval chimneys remain, witness to the original domestic developments. The whole, partially protected since 1994, also includes agricultural outbuildings (stables, barns, barns) and an enclosure, reflecting the evolution of the site towards a mixed farm.
Ranked Historic Monument by decree of June 6, 1994, the Manor House of Chezelles illustrates the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in the Berry. Its hybrid architecture, combining defensive elements (tours, ditches) and residential comfort (pathways, stairs in turn), reveals the adaptations of rural elites to the political and social upheavals of the late 15th century. Localization, near Aubois, could also explain its role in local trade or territorial control networks, although sources do not specify its exact use in modern times.
The accuracy of the location of the site is considered satisfactory (note 6/10), with an official address registered at 1 Place Dit Chezelles. The legal protections specifically cover the body of the house, the facades and roofs of the agricultural buildings, as well as the barn and enclosures (cadastal park D 386). No information is available about its current accessibility (visits, accommodation) or possible historical owners, sources being limited to architectural and archaeological data.
