Domaine des Herbauges: Château de la Sénaigerie
Château de la Sénaigerie has existed since at least the Middle Ages; the presence of a grand château and seigneurie here reflects the importance of the nearby lake, which was a valuable source of fish for local people, and of the surrounding forest (now largely disappeared), the wood of which was used for fuel, construction and the manufacture of barrels. Control of access to the lake, and of fishing rights, was strategically very important. Indeed, even the name of Château de la Sénaigerie relates to fishing; a sannagerie is a place where fishing rights, especially fishing using nets, are determined.
The manor that stands there today dates largely to the 17th century, even though some parts of the central tower are older, this original section having been erected in the 15th or 16th century. The earliest mentions of the estate relate to the aforementioned fishing rights in 1377, and at this time the proprietors were Jehanne Gastineau and his wife Millet de Machecoul, Jehanne acquiring the seigneurie as his dowry when the two married. Subsequently the estate came into the hands of the la Lande family, and in 1542 François de la Lande sold the estate to Louis Gabard, who then sold it on to François Biré in 1576.
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