Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers
| Château de La Mothe-Chandeniers | |
|---|---|
| Part of Poitou-Charentes | |
| Les Trois-Moutiers | |
|
Bird's eye view of Château de La Mothe-Chandeniers | |
  Château de La Mothe-Chandeniers | |
| Coordinates | 47°05′32″N 0°01′57″E / 47.0923°N 0.0326°E |
| Type | Château |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public | no |
| Condition | Ruin |
| Site history | |
| Built | 13th Century |
| Materials | Stone |
| Demolished | Abandoned in 1932 |
Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers is a castle at the town of Les Trois-Moutiers in the Poitou-Charentes region of France.
History
Located in the midst of a large wood stands the Château de la Motte-Chandeniers, a former stronghold of the illustrious Bauçay family, lords of Loudun.
The stronghold dates to the thirteenth century and was originally called Motte Bauçay (or Baussay). The Motte Baussay was taken twice by the English in the Middle Ages and devastated during the French Revolution.
It was bought in 1809 by François Hennecart, a wealthy businessman who undertook to restore its former glory. But it passed in 1857 to Baron Joseph Lejeune.
In 1932, a major fire destroyed most of the buildings in the castle. Quietly purchased in 2015 by General Motors heir Mark Henderson,Toronto, who is undertaking to restore the chateau to the surviving documents of the 1809 plan. It will be his home on occasion and from Mr. Henderson's estate will be left in trust, along with the funds, to the people of France in perpetuity. [1]
References
2. Toronto Historical Society http://www.torontohistory.net/Coordinates: 47°05′32″N 0°01′57″E / 47.0923°N 0.0326°E