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Mornay Castle en Charente-Maritime

Charente-Maritime

Mornay Castle

    216 Château de Mornay
    17330 Saint-Pierre-de-l'Isle

Timeline

Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
XVe siècle
First lords
1642
Reconstruction of the castle
an VI (1797–1798)
Acquisition by Jean-Joseph Gast
1947
Destroyer fire
22 août 1949
Historical monument classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Registered MH

Key figures

Pierre Pastureau - First known lord Father of Guillaume Patureau de Mornay.
Guillaume Patureau de Mornay (1466–1534) - Second lord of the place Son of Pierre Pastureau.
Jean-Joseph Gast - Acquirer in year VI Former guard of the King's Gate.
Marie Marguerite Carayon - Wife of Jean-Joseph Gast Rocket merchant girl.

Origin and history

Mornay Castle, located in Saint-Pierre-de-l'Isle in Charente-Maritime (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), has its origins in the 15th century with Pierre Pastureau, first known lord, father of Guillaume Patureau de Mornay (1466–1534). The present castle was rebuilt around 1642, as evidenced by the loss of a gabare carrying materials for its construction. Its architecture combines 16th-century mâchicoulis towers and a 17th-century house, unfinished or voluntarily in the shape of L, surrounded by moat.

The gallery of the castle, painted in the 17th century, is inspired by the Metamorphoses of Ovide, evoking that of the castle of Oiron. Long wrongly attributed to Nicolas Poussin, these frescoes were destroyed by a fire in 1947, with 18th-century apartments that housed cardboard tapestry by François Boucher. The estate, acquired in the year VI (1797–98) by Jean-Joseph Gast, former king's guard, and his wife Marie Marguerite Carayon, became a rest home in 1949 after its sale.

The park, classified as a historic monument since 1942, extends along the Button and houses remarkable trees, 18th and 19th century statues (such as a Diane Chassress or a Borghese Faune), and a "tour du chardon", a 16th century isolated tower. The castle, its gate, this tower and the park have been protected since 1949. Today, the site hosts guest rooms, receptions and seminars, while opening its park to the public in the afternoon.

The basements, with Gothic vaults, question about possible medieval foundations. The property, marked by successive sales, illustrates the evolution of the uses of French castles, moving from seigneurial residence to convalescence, then to tourist establishment. His history also reflects the errors of artistic attribution, such as that of paintings in Poussin, corrected by stylistic and chronological analysis.

External links