Association de Sauvegarde du

CHATEAU DE GAVRAY

THE LITTLE TOWER
 
 

When you arrive at the platform, you first see the remains of a small tower with a shape that is difficult to define. It is obviously later than the keep, on which its north and south walls were built, the wall of the keep presenting a continuity of construction inside and outside the tower.
A small building, built at the break in the slope of the rock, it plunges sharply to the south. A breach in the northwest corner provided access.

Given the configuration of the rock and the small size of the site, an occupation is unlikely. The excavation revealed only filling and destruction and did not identify its use. However, it has uncovered:
* Two currencies:
- one, a denier tournois, from 1423,- the other, a liard of France from 1657.
* lots of stones,
* a few pottery shards,
* Tiles.
A platform seems to have accommodated, around this tower leaning against the keep, light constructions:
* a tiny vestige of a small masonry wall, parallel to the west wall of the keep and reminiscent of the construction of the platform mentioned elsewhere,
* a lean-to, perhaps, along the west wall of the tower. Two pits could be post locations: this is almost certain for the north pit, as dunnage stones have been identified in the clay layer immediately above.

In addition, it should be noted that there are:
* horseshoes and a lot of slag in this area: charcoal, ashes, workshop?

* very high proportions of potsherds composed of sandstone.

  
The tower, seen from the northwest after the area has been excavated.

* two coins:
- One, very worn and difficult to identify. It bears a long cross on the reverse, it could be an English coin, it can be dated to the years 1423-1429. It was located in a clay layer located just above the level of the tower, where the dunnage stones of the post mentioned above were located.
- the other, a 15th or 16th century Nuremberg token found a little higher up, in a demolition layer.

These two coins are entirely in agreement with the dates mentioned elsewhere.
 

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