CHÂTEAU DE VIGNORY

Among the many castles that covered south-eastern Champagne in the Middle Ages, Château de Vignory is one of the few to have survived the centuries to the present day. Vassals of the Counts of Burgundy, then of the Counts of Champagne, the Lords of Vignory extended their Barony, then their County, over the 26 surrounding communes.The first written trace of the castle dates back to 1050-1052. It was originally a "castrum" owned by the 1st Lord of Vignory.

Gui I (1011-1040) is the first known lord, founder of Saint-Étienne church and priory. Under the reign of his son Roger I, the first written mention of the castle appears: in a charter dated May 25, 1050-1052, to earn remission for his sins, Roger donates not only the newly-built church to Saint-Bénigne de Dijon, but also "what belongs to me, namely the chapel of my castel".

The castle was subsequently refurbished and fortified. In the mid-12th century, the keep known as Tour Quarrée was erected on the upper courtyard. In 1204, Gauthier I, knight banneret under Philippe Auguste, had the town of "Vangnorry" enclosed by walls and towers that joined the castle ramparts.

After two sieges at the end of the 14th century, the castle fell into disrepair.

In 1416, Jean de Vergy initiated major restoration work, including the construction of the Tour au Puits at the tip of the rocky spur. A seigneurial dwelling, brighter and more comfortable than the old keep, was built on the main courtyard of the Haute-Cour. Around 1490-1495, Jean de Baudricourt had the enormous gun tower built at the corner of the Basse-Cour, where the village rampart was connected. With its 20-meter diameter, 7-meter-thick walls and cannonieres, it was the castle?s defensive lock.

An entrance gateway, with a portcullis and drawbridge over a dry moat, defended the entrance to the bailey, which included a farmhouse, houses, a large cistern and a dovecote, which counted up to 1,200 bolt holes.

A 1773 inventory shows a bailey surrounded by ramparts flanked by 7 enormous towers, housing the farm, stables, bouverie, dovecote and gardens, and an upper bailey flanked by 3 towers and including the keep, Puits tower, chapel, seigniorial manor, cistern and outbuildings. This part was reserved exclusively for the lord, his family and retinue.

Today, many remains remain, including the 12th-century keep, the 15th-century Tour au Puits and the south curtain walls, all of which are listed historic monuments.

Consolidation work on the ramparts has been underway since 2003. From 2009 to 2015, major restoration and consolidation work was carried out, enabling visitors to tour the keep and the tour au puits.

DATAtourisme France