France, archaeologists in Vannes discover medieval castle under 18th century house

Important discovery in Vannes, Brittany , France, where the ruins of a medieval castle have been found beneath theLagorce Hotel, a private residence dating back to the late 18th century. The discovery was made following a preventive archaeology excavation prescribed by Brittany’s Drac (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs), the counterpart of our superintendencies, in view of construction work on the site of the future Musée des Beaux-Arts in Vannes. The excavation took place, for a first phase, between February and April 2023, in the cellars and current courtyard of the Lagorce hotel. A second phase of excavation carried out in the fall of 2023 made it possible to expand the excavation area and complete observations in the courtyard of the current building.

Already a first reconnaissance carried out byInrap, the National Research Institute of Preventive Archaeology, in 2021 had shown that the masonry of the medieval building remained underneath the building, without its full extent being perceived. Under a thick embankment (2.50 to 4 meters), archaeologists unexpectedly found the ground floor of an imposing building that they excavated for more than a meter in elevation and that corresponds to the ducal residence. A central passageway connects the north gate, carved into the side facade of the city, to another gate framed by two large towers leaning against the city wall and identified on ancient plans, facing the outer moat. The ensemble has a “porticoed” plan similar to that of the castle of Suscinio in Morbihan, the pleasure residence of the Dukes of Brittany. This model became widespread from the second half of the 14th century. The residential space is partly developed above the passage in the towers, in an architecture that combines residential and defensive functions.

Discovery of

Discovery of the castle of

Discovery of the castle of Vannes

The excavation gradually uncovered the ground floor plan: the ducal mansion, 42 meters long and 17 meters wide, has exceptionally thick walls, reaching 5.60 meters. Bounded directly by a moat, it is flanked on the east by what can be called a “square tower.” In the thickness of the facade walls, archaeologists observed a number of arrangements. They thus discovered several staircases, including an extraordinarily preserved ceremonial staircase, which has an ornate core and three steps, but also a padded window (a bench in the embrace).

In the thickness of the masonry at each end of the house, archaeologists also found a set of latrines and drainage pipes related to the upper levels (the castle must therefore have had three or even four floors). The pipes lead to wells, one of which is corbelled above the inner moat. The excavation also revealed the presence of a mill integrated, in a very original way, into the living space, in a room of the “square tower” extending the east gable of the house. Elements of the mill have disappeared but it is possible to locate the point where the wheel was inserted into the masonry.

A canal running under the building carried water from the Marle to drive the wheel. The latter operated the spinning wheel and then the lantern, the location of which archaeologists have found. Staples and metal ties reinforced the structure. The evacuation of water to the moat, downstream from the wheel, was through an opening made in the facade, the grating of which has been preserved.

This façade, which forms the escarpment of the moat, filled with water thanks to the canal, develops as a spalt (gentle slope) before falling vertically for a total height of 4.50 meters to the bottom of the moat. In front of the castle entrance, a bridge pier has been partly cleared. This massive masonry pier nearly 5 meters across consists of a central passageway bordered by two jambs more than 2 meters high. A wooden bridge connected it to the castle entrance. This essential development provided access to the city.

Discovery of the castle of

Discovery of the castle of

Discovery of the castle of Vannes

The homogeneity of the materials used for the construction of the castle and the standardization of the forms demonstrate a mastery of site management throughout the entire operational chain, from the extraction of the stone to its installation. About a hundred marks of workers intended for the organization of the site were found on the stones: they reflect this consistent and controlled architectural program. The facade of the house has a molded band around the entire perimeter that emphasizes the ostentatious luxury of the building, as well as the detail of the decorations found on the jambs of the openings or even on the stairs.

The construction of the building took place in a single phase, demonstrating the importance of the financial and human resources employed. The remains indicate that John IV knew how to surround himself with the best engineers and craftsmen of the time.

Latrines and drainage pipes were thoroughly investigated by archaeologists. Numerous objects related to the daily life of the castle were delivered: coins, jewelry, kitchen utensils (pots, pans, frying pans, etc.) dating back to the 15th-16th centuries , but also several wooden items (bowls, fragments of barrels ...) preserved thanks to the humidity of the environment. In addition, archaeologists carried out a thorough investigation in the moat. From this very damp material, rich furnishings were extracted, in which everyday objects (brooches, clothing or shoe buckles, graffiti-covered slabs, etc.) stand side by side with other objects that mark belonging to a rich environment (metal plates, keys and padlocks). for furniture or boxes, etc.). Wooden architectural elements have also been found, such as remnants of the mill or the access bridge to the castle.

Discovery of the castle of

Discovery of the castle of

Discovery of the castle of Vannes

The construction of the castle is supposed to date back to the late 14th century. In 1365, John IV signed the Treaty of Guérande that ended more than 20 years of conflict pitting the Penthièvre family against the Montfort supporters and inherited the Duchy of Brittany. In 1381 he undertook the construction of fortresses throughout the duchy to assert his power. In Vannes, the construction of the Château de l’Hermine, which became one of the duchy’s strongholds, was part of the southward expansion of the city’s ramparts. Built in a marshy area, close to the coast, subject to the flow of the tides and therefore probably underdeveloped until then, the work undertaken was part of a vast urbanization program that would double the area of the city.

Known to be one of Duke John IV’s favorite residences, the Château de l’Hermine was intensively used for barely a hundred years. Abandoned in favor of that of Nantes by Francis II in the 1570s, it was finally abandoned in the 17th / 18th centuries . Almost absent from the archives, the building appears only as a ruin on plans from the 17th century. Several authors have attempted to reconstruct the plan, but their proposals are now upset by archaeological discoveries.

France, archaeologists in Vannes discover medieval castle under 18th century house

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