Brosse Castle Ruins Audio guide

Surviving Remains of a Medieval Fortress

The ruins of Brosse Castle in the commune of Chaillac in the Indre department are among the monuments that still reveal the ground plan of the former fortified residence. Preserved are the entrance gate without defensive features, part of a round bergfried tower, sections of the curtain wall, and the remains of the walls that once enclosed the entire complex. In the outer forecourt, a well with its stone lining is visible, and among the debris of the masonry one can also make out the remains of the residential section, probably the palace.

From the Early Middle Ages to the Hundred Years' War

The castle was founded as early as the 10th century, and in 974 it is mentioned by the chronicler Aimon of Fleury. In the 13th century it took on a more solid form in line with contemporary defensive demands, with a bergfried tower and a wall on the hilltop. In the 15th century some of the towers were rebuilt, and the complex adapted to new military and representational needs. During the Hundred Years' War, around 1369, it was captured and burned by English forces, which significantly hastened its decline.

The Fate of the Lordship and Its Present Appearance

The lordship of Brosse passed successively to the lords of Brosse, the Chauvigny family, and the House of Bourbon-Montpensier. At the beginning of the 14th century it passed by marriage from Jeanne de Brosse into the hands of the Chauvignys, who held a vast territory encompassing dozens of today’s communes. After the seat was abandoned in the 15th century, decay set in and continued into the modern era, when stones were taken away for building purposes. Even so, the surrounding settlement has preserved a number of old houses, and the castle ruin was listed as a historic monument in 1935.