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Origin and history

The English castle is an emblematic example of a medieval castle clad against a cliff, characteristic of the Lot valleys upstream of Cahors and the Célé. Located on the municipality of Brengues (the Lot department, Occitanie region), it illustrates the 12th century defensive architecture, with remains such as a high section of wall pierced with bays and a door in the middle of the hangar typical of this period. Its name evokes an Anglo-Norman occupation or influence, although the sources do not specify its exact origin.

In the 13th century, the seigneury of Brengues belonged to the family Barasc de Béduer, before passing to Cardaillac-Brengues, a branch of the powerful family of Cardaillac. An adjacent wall section with an ogival door and a cruciform archer would have been added in 1347 according to historian Valérie Rousset, reflecting defensive adaptations during the Hundred Years War. In 1504 the count of the ban and the rear-ban attests that John of Cardaillac was the lord.

The castle, now reduced to ruins, was inscribed in historical monuments on October 30, 1925. His remains bear witness to his strategic role in the region, while sources such as Catherine Didon's work (1996) or the notices of the Conseil départemental du Lot (2006) document his history. The exact location, near the place called Le Causse, remains approximate, with a cartographic accuracy deemed mediocre (level 5/10).

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