Corroirie

La Corroirie is a fortified feudal stronghold belonging to the neighboring Chartreuse du Liget, located in the commune of Chemillé-sur-Indrois, in the Indre-et-Loire department, Centre-Val de Loire region. Likely founded at the end of the 11th century, it became the Charterhouse's lower house, whose lay brothers were responsible for managing the monastery's extensive agricultural estate (nearly 1,500 hectares at Le Liget, as well as tenant farms in the Loches region). Its buildings were gradually expanded over the following centuries, with periods of expansion alternating with phases of fortification following the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion. In the 16th century, La Corroirie was transformed into a stronghold, with the construction of a monumental fortified gate at the entrance. In the second half of the 17th century, the friars who lived there left to take up residence in the upper residence, and the church was closed to worshipers: the lower residence lost its religious role and became a farm. One of the particularities of La Corroirie is that it was also a fief with legal rights over its territory from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution, as evidenced by the presence of a prison on the site. Sold as national property during the Revolution, after the last monks had left the Carthusian monastery in early 1791, the Corroirie buildings suffered little damage and are still maintained and inhabited into the 21st century. The church, fortified gateway and prison of La Corroirie were listed as historic monuments in 1926; the listing was extended to the entire site in 2015. As from 1947, La Corroirie, along with the buildings of the upper house and their surroundings, are part of a listed site.