Sagonne Castle

Sagonne Castle, locally known as Château de Sagonne, lies of the village of the same name, in the Cher department in France.

Archaeological evidence has shown that the site of the village was a settlement during Gallo-Roman times. It was first mentioned in the 9th century. The seigneury of Sagonne belonged to the Counts of Sancerre since around 1266.

Sagonne Castle was built under Louis I, Count of Sancerre, in the first half of the 13th century to protect the road from Bourges to Sancoins. In the 14th century, during the Hundred Years' War, the castle resisted an attack by English troops. In 1373 the English were driven out of the region by a joint expedition of the lords of Sagonne and Grossouvre and the Breton knight and French military commander, Bertrand du Guesclin.

Possession of the castle passed to the House of Amboise when in 1428 Anne de Bueil, heiress to the County of Sancerre, married Pierre d'Amboise. She gave the castle its present appearance. The Amboises kept it until 1542 when they were forced to sell it to Jean Babou, a Grand Master of Artillery of France. During the next 150 years the castle passed through the hands of various families.

At the end of the 17th century Sagonne Castle was acquired by the French Baroque architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. He and his descendants considerably rebuilt the castle to make it more suitable to the comforts of their time. The castle stayed in the family until the French Revolution when it was owned by a descendant; Anne Claude Louise d'Arpajon, who was guillotined in 1794. After that, the castle was looted and fell into decline. When it also became a quarry for cheap building materials for the locals, it turned into a ruin while part of the outbuildings were taken into use for agricultural purposes.

In 1977 the ruined castle was bought by a private individual who, together with a volunteer organization, restored and partly rebuilt it.

At present Sagonne Castle can be visited for a fee. Normally you can also visit the interior of the keep but this was closed due to corona measures when I came by. A great castle. Jouy Tower is nearby.

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Sagonne Castle

Sagonne Castle, locally known as Château de Sagonne, lies of the village of the same name, in the Cher department in France.

Archaeological evidence has shown that the site of the village was a settlement during Gallo-Roman times. It was first mentioned in the 9th century. The seigneury of Sagonne belonged to the Counts of Sancerre since around 1266.

Sagonne Castle was built under Louis I, Count of Sancerre, in the first half of the 13th century to protect the road from Bourges to Sancoins. In the 14th century, during the Hundred Years' War, the castle resisted an attack by English troops. In 1373 the English were driven out of the region by a joint expedition of the lords of Sagonne and Grossouvre and the Breton knight and French military commander, Bertrand du Guesclin.

Possession of the castle passed to the House of Amboise when in 1428 Anne de Bueil, heiress to the County of Sancerre, married Pierre d'Amboise. She gave the castle its present appearance. The Amboises kept it until 1542 when they were forced to sell it to Jean Babou, a Grand Master of Artillery of France. During the next 150 years the castle passed through the hands of various families.

At the end of the 17th century Sagonne Castle was acquired by the French Baroque architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. He and his descendants considerably rebuilt the castle to make it more suitable to the comforts of their time. The castle stayed in the family until the French Revolution when it was owned by a descendant; Anne Claude Louise d'Arpajon, who was guillotined in 1794. After that, the castle was looted and fell into decline. When it also became a quarry for cheap building materials for the locals, it turned into a ruin while part of the outbuildings were taken into use for agricultural purposes.

In 1977 the ruined castle was bought by a private individual who, together with a volunteer organization, restored and partly rebuilt it.

At present Sagonne Castle can be visited for a fee. Normally you can also visit the interior of the keep but this was closed due to corona measures when I came by. A great castle. Jouy Tower is nearby.

Gallery

Details
Hits: 2260