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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Melzéard, built in the 15th century, presents a regular plan in H, with a circular dungeon with a conical roof and a pentagonal chapel vaulted with dogives. The house, dating back to the 16th century and renovated in the 17th and 18th centuries, was built around a rectangular courtyard closed by commons and towers. A chapel was built between the 15th and 16th centuries in a turret of the enclosure, while a dovecote was erected before the end of the 17th century.

Between 1780 and 1832, the house was laid northward, replacing a demolished tower, and the communes were partially rebuilt, including an orange shop and a barn. In 1885, architect Ojam completely remodeled the estate, demolishing the old house to build a new one, accompanied by a park. The 1993 fire ravaged the 19th century castle, leaving nothing but ruins, including the dungeon, chapel and connecting walls.

The dungeon, built around 1419 for Pierre Froutier, Senéchal du Poitou, received in 1452 letters patent from Charles VII granting rights of justice. The seigneury then passed by alliances to the families of Vernou de Bonneuil, Aubusson de la Feuillade, and Levis Ventadour. In the 19th century, the estate was acquired by Louis Émile Aymé de la Chevrelière, whose son had the castle rebuilt in 1890. The buildings were finally sold separately in the 20th century, sealing the decline of the site.

The elements protected since 2004 include the south front of the castle, with the towers of the dungeon, the chapel and the dovecote, as well as the walls connecting them. These remains bear witness to the successive architectural transformations, from medieval seigneurial functions to modern redevelopments, before their abandonment after the fire.

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