CastleAmailloux - Tennessus

Château de Tennessus

To be privately owned

The Château de Tennessus or Château de Thenessue is a French castle located on the edge of departmental road 127, in the extreme south-east of the commune of Amailloux in the Deux-Sèvres department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

History+

The Château de Tennessus was built in the 14th and 15th centuries; the domain, which served as a prison [ref. needed], is already mentioned in 1401. During the Revolution, its owners emigrated in 1792 and 1793. A decree from the Directory of Deux-Sèvres condemned the Château de Tennessus to demolition, but the sentence was not carried out. The restoration of the castle began in 1985 when the Bordeaux artist-sculptor Dominique Piéchaud bought the castle. It was listed as a historical monument on January 7, 1943, then the garden grounds and their boundary walls on September 28, 1993, and finally the outbuildings on September 19, 2007. The site is now converted into guest rooms.

Architecture+

The Château de Tennessus is surrounded by moats and the western part of the enclosure is preserved. It surrounds all the farm buildings which enclose a rectangular courtyard protected by two leveled towers. The dwelling dates from the 17th century and was modified in the 18th century. The date 1771 was then inscribed.

Notes and references+