Association de Sauvegarde du

CHATEAU DE GAVRAY

THE PLATFORM OR HIGH COURTYARD
 
Overview

The platform, the presumed location of the High Courtyard, occupies the top of the hill and represents 9/10ths of the whole with less than 3% slope. This platform was artificially constructed with a great deal of backfill, as archaeological excavations have shown.

  
The platform in 1980, before the clearing of brush.
 

It takes an effort of imagination to evoke all the constructions that must have been there:
* first, the keep and the military buildings, the remains of which can be clearly seen,
* further on, in the best protected part of the fortress, the residential buildings, judging by royal accounts from the beginning of the 14th century, which mention maintenance work. The following are mentioned:
The remains of the round tower and the keep, arriving at the upper platform.

... the chapel, one of the turrets near the chapel, the house after the chapel, leaning against the surrounding wall, the house on the well, the room on the walls in front of the town, the porter's house, the great hall, the great hall of the castellan, the castellan's room, a wardrobe...

Archaeological excavations have uncovered the foundations of an important residential complex (see the logis tab). It can be assumed that there are many other remains on the site, which excavations will reveal as they progress.

  
The remains of residential buildings to the east of the enclosure
 
Possible reconstruction of the upper courtyard of Gavray.

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