Castle for Sale: Le Château d’Alogny in Western France

Le Château d’Alogny is a hilltop castle located near the town of La Roche-Posay, between the Touraine to the north, Brenne to the east and Poitou to the south. The castle, which was built between the 14th and 16th centuries, is listed for € 775 000.

Built on 11th century foundations that can clearly be seen in the cellar, half of the castle dates from the 14th century and half from the 16th century. The oldest part which could originally have been a keep, spans three stories and a converted attic; all are accessed via a wonderful spiral stairway housed in a hexagonal tower flanking the north-east corner of the building.

The 16th century extension built on the west side has but two stories and its own converted attic. The castle is built of rubble stone which has been left exposed on certain facades and rendered on others.

The current owner, Dr. John Cooke, tell us, “With its violent mediaeval past but a faded memory, today Alogny has become warm and welcoming: a comfortable family home, in which the modern amenities have not been allowed to tarnish the patina of history.”

The castle itself has 2,475 sq ft of living space, including a dining room, a reading and television room, a kitchen, 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.

There are several other buildings on the property, which is one and a halfd acres in size. They include a workshop, bread oven, and barn in ruins. There is also an outdoor pool. The castle is used as a home and is also rented out for travelers.

The original owners of the castle, the Counts of Alogny, were notable in medieval history, as one of them took part in the Seventh Crusade, while another was the Chamberlain to King Louis XI (1423-1483).

The current owners also sent us some more information about the castle’s history: “Alogny’s château, today small and habitable, is but a shadow of its former glory, when it was graced with several towers and a moat. Most of the present structure dates from the 14th century, but incorporates remains of an earlier building constructed in the time of William the Conqueror almost a thousand years ago. The new wing, with its large Renaissance window and fine fireplace, was added in the 16th Century. The drawbridge survived up to the Revolution in the late 18th Century, and even within recent memory a great beam with shackles for securing prisoners still ran the length of what is now the kitchen. Several windows in the present building, particularly in the tower, show evidence (through their worn sills) of having been doorways leading through to other structures long since collapsed or demolished.

“After the revolution, we are told the château was used by nuns as a hospital for the poor, and was later occupied by three separate families living independently on the three main levels. A neighbor, who was raised on the lower level, when most of it had only dirt floors, reports that the tower staircase was considered unsafe to use, that water was drawn from the well on the lower terrace, and cooking as done over an open fire in an outdoor lean-to shelter. It remains unclear when the great bread oven was last in regular use.

Careful examination of the dressed stones surrounding doorways and windows at Alogny reveals a wealth of ancient graffiti. Some are clearly counting records, perhaps sacks of corn or heads of cattle. But also scratched into the stonework long ago by children, are many representations of ladies in mediæval costume that demonstrate considerable artistic ability. Overwritten by later markings, there is also a drawing that is unquestionably a representation of the château itself, complete with the large renaissance window. On the fireplace is a beautiful drawing of an ancient ox cart, while to one side Jenny inscribed her name in 1675. There are also other dates and signatures in elegant script to be seen when the light is right.

“The general unrest of the middle Ages was periodically exacerbated between battles by bands of unemployed soldiers from the armies of both sides, discharged and left to fend for themselves at war’s end, ravaging the French countryside to survive. This political instability of necessity resulted in the extensive construction and expansion of châteaux, fortified farms and manors throughout the region. As a safeguard, many nobles had built underground escape tunnels, often linked to neighbouring castles. The lords of Alogny were apparently no exception, evidence of such souterrains having been recently discovered close by. One tunnel emerged above the farm visible across the valley to the West, while another is believed to pass under the river and link Alogny to the old Château de Rouvray in the woods near Chambon.

“Sadly, previous owners converted Alogny’s old chapel, with its small tracery window, into a bathroom. Still present are the squints, openings through servants might watch the services from the staircase and from the adjoining room. It is easy to imagine that beneath the plaster on the vaulted ceiling there still remain 14th Century frescos like those in the abbey at Saint Savin and nearby Antigny.

“There is strong evidence to suggest that the original crypt beneath the chapel may well be intact, still holding family coffins and remains. We are hesitant to disturb the sleep of ages – who knows what supernatural manifestations might come to haunt us? Alogny certainly used to have ghosts – with so much history it would be unthinkable not to! However, some years ago the anciens propriétaires found themselves so troubled by ghosts — one in particular very familiar to locals — that they felt obliged to call in a suitably qualified priest to perform a service of exorcism. Sadly, since then, no ghosts have been seen in the area – but mysterious noises may still occasionally be heard in the darkness.”

Dr. Cooke adds, “While we are loath to sell, it would give us the freedom to devote ourselves more fully to our charitable foundation, the Bali Children’s Project.”
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Click here to go to the Castle’s website, including more pictures.

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Tags: Castles