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Origin and history

The Teyssieu Tower is a square dungeon built in the 13th century at the request of the Viscount of Turenne. In 1232 he granted the seigneury of Teyssieu to two of his knights, Hugues and Bertrand Bonafos, provided they built a fortified tower there. The building, 30 metres high, is distinguished by its granite composite apparatus, suggesting several construction campaigns spread over a long period of time. A medieval house, now extinct, was backed by the tower, forming a defensive ensemble completed by a enclosure and round towers.

During the Hundred Years' War, Teyssieu was occupied by English troops in 1371. The seigneury remained in the hands of the Bonafos family until the 16th century, before going through an alliance with the Gontaut-Cabrerets, then with the Noailles. Jeanne de Gontaut, heir of the fief and governess of the daughters of Catherine de Medici, marked the history of the place before the castle was sold in 1649 to the family of Bonnafous. In 1749, the estate was acquired by Jean-Baptiste Molin, farmer-general of the Viscounty of Turenne.

Ranked a historic monument in 1925, the tower has remarkable architectural features: an elevated entrance door at 4.85 metres from the ground, screw and ladder staircases, as well as medieval murals on the second and third levels, representing knights' jousts and animal motifs. The base of the tower, vaulted in a crib, served as a storehouse, while the upper floors, with latrines and dust windows, probably housed the garrison. The mâchicoulis and crows in the upper part testify to late reshuffles, dating from the 14th century possible.

In 1876, the town bought the castle to set up a school, partially changing the medieval structure. Today, only the remains of the tower, the enclosure and the access door remain. Archaeological excavations and studies, such as those of Diane Henry-Lormelle (2013), have clarified its architectural evolution and its role in the local defensive system.

The Teyssieu tower is part of the Quercy fortification network, linked to the influence of Turenne Viscounts. Its history reflects the political and military stakes of the region, from its construction in the 13th century to its transformation into a communal building in the 19th century. The sources, including the works of Gilles Séraphin and Ferdinand Pressouyre, highlight its importance as an example of medieval castral architecture adapted to defensive and seigneurial needs.

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