Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Chesnel Castle, also known as Chenel Castle, was built in 1610 by Charles-Roch Chesnel on the heights of the Antenne in Cherves-Richemont (Charente). This monument illustrates the Italian style then in vogue in Angoumois, with a square structure, dry moat and a facade framed by round towers with conical roof. Its architecture, which has remained intact since the 17th century, includes a rectangular forecourt, a cochère door surmounted by a mâchicoulis stretcher, and side pavilions.

The seigneury of Cherves, dependent on Cognac, was acquired in the 16th century by Jacques Chesnel, governor of the city. His descendant, Charles de Chesnel, heir to maternal property, had the present castle erected between 1610 and 1625 on an estate where already a dovecote dated 1505 remained. The Chesnel family retained the estate until 1754, when it passed by alliance to the Frétard d'Écoyeux, then to the Counts of Roffignac in the 19th century.

Among the notable figures associated with the castle, René-Annibal de Roffignac distinguished himself by offering his head in the place of Louis XVI during the Revolution. His son, Louis Philippe Joseph de Roffignac, became mayor of New Orleans in 1800. In the 20th century, Count Ferdinand de Roffignac founded a wine company on the estate in 1923, then passed on to his descendants. The castle, always private, is visited during the summer or by appointment.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1965 for its facades, roofs, courtyards and moat, the château of Chesnel preserves original elements such as a monumental fireplace and vaults of ridges in the basement. Its interior was redesigned in the 19th century, with the removal of window crucifixes and the addition of slots on a wing. Together, surrounded by outbuildings and estates, testify to the seigneurial and winemaking history of the region.

The estate also includes older remains, such as the Plumejeau site, where the "Treasure of Cherves" was discovered (although this tradition is not confirmed). The castle, with its regular plan and its fancy decorations (merlons, balls), remains a unique example of early classical architecture in Charente, mixing Italian and local influences.

External links