Castle of Lastours

History of the castle

- Description of the site

1-1 the Holy mound Maguerite

On which the church (1488 foundation of the church) is located having survived modern times. This mound of oval form of 55 X 45 meters (bases) sheltered the first castle out of wooden of IXe? XIIe century.

1-2 the mound with stem

Of low height (approximately 5m for a base d?environ 35 X 45m), it was to shelter a tower of advanced defense (XIII century?).

1-3 the stone castle

It is towards the beginning of XIIIe century that the mound Saint Maguerite is given up and that 150m further is built the fortress out of stone. This castle having the shape of an irregular polygon, was to comprise a low court (of which the vestiges are visible in a farm). It consists of a confined enclosure of 6 turns dating from XVe and XVIe centuries (drain-holes and remainders of a chimney of 1500 in tower 1 for example). Tower 2 still comprises a beautiful domical vault as well as furnaces (remainders of kitchen?).

1. the main tower : The keep of Lastours, high of approximately 20m, is of square plan (approximately 9m on side). It comprises four stages equipped with chimneys and bays (with coussièges). Does its base seem to be Emmottée (XIIe origin of the building?) and comprises several rehandlings or rebuildings. This type of keep says "ROMANCE" appears to be antiquated because of its late date (medium of XIIIe century) and are connected with the Romance keeps of the West of France in particular Eschizadour, Chalucet or Castle-Chervix in High Vienna. The Southern and Western faces are partly ruined. One reached it by a door the level of the first stage (Northern face).
2. the home of XIIIe - XIVe centuries: This home located behind tower 6 and in prolongation of tower 1 is datable of XIIIe or XIVe century (archères cruciform). It is preserved only in its low part (first level) and comprises on its frontage external of the flat buttresses of the type of those of the main tower. Could it be a question of a second keep? This home "was emmotté" by the enclosure of XVe century with the creation of a braie (sheath of advanced defense).

- History

Lastours appears in the texts at the end of IXe century. Most known of its lords is Goufier de Las Turns (about 1090). In XIIe century, GUI of Mow Turns dies out of Holy Land and at the end of this same century (v. 1173) Olivier de Las Turns drives out with the Viscount of Limoges the lorry drivers to the pay of the English. The weapons of the Mow Turns consist of three turns of money sown of flowers of lily d'or.

These three turns symbolize the three castrated Mow Turns which are: Lastours (87), Pompadour (19) and Hautefort (24).

The three properties of the Mow Turns before XIVe century make it possible to know the extent of their possessions. The Mow Turns are useful in the armies of king de France and in 1452 Jean de Las Turns is to advise of Charles VII. Jean de Las Turns rebuilds his castle between 1477 and 1520. After many difficulties of succession, the seigniory of Mow Turns with found about 1530 a certain importance.

The chalk-lining of the Mow Turns dies out definitively in 1591 with Jean III. His/her daughter and single heiress marry Gabriel d' Abzac. The fortress undergoes an attack during the Sling. In 1783, the seigniory of Lastours is repurchased by the count of the Bus (important field made up with the detriment of that of the Mow Turns in XIVe century). In 1793, the revolutionists order the dismantling of the castle which becomes a stone quarry until the middle of the XXe centuries.

Franck Faupin