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About The Château de la Brosse

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Historical Summary and Lineage of the Charcellay de Bors Family

Located near the village of Lureuil, the small fief of La Brosse (meaning "brushwood") historically depended on

the local Commanderie. This document synthesizes its ownership history and the genealogy of its prominent lords based on historical archives.

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1. History of the Fief (16th – 18th Century)

 

- 16th Century – 1634: Owned by the noble du Cher family from Berry. Charles du Cher, Lord of La Brosse, passed away before 1634, leaving his widow Marguerite de Bosquevert and minor children (Amable and René).

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- Mid-17th Century: René de Besdon, Lord of Lingé, moved to Lureuil and took the title of Lord of La Brosse. Having no sons, the estate eventually passed to his son-in-law, Pierre du Verdier (husband of Marthe de Besdon), who is recorded in 1679 paying dues for the property.

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- Late 17th Century onward: The Charcellay de Bors family became the new owners. The family coat of arms features silver with two azure fish swimming in a sea, a red chief with three silver stars. By 1743, Dom Pierre Charcellay de Bors served as the prior of the Benedictines of Preuilly.

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2. Lineage of the Charcellay de Bors Family

 

 1. Pierre: Parliament Lawyer in 1677.

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 2. François: Recorded living in 1704.

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 3. Pierre: Representative (élu) for Loches and bailiff of the Barony of Preuilly. He passed away on December 22, 1762, leaving two sons: Augustin Joseph and Pierre.

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 4. Augustin Joseph: Lieutenant of the Marshals of France in Châtellerault. He married Marie Madeleine Reculé. 

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 5. Pierre Augustin: Born on February 6, 1767, in Preuilly. On October 3, 1798, during the religious suppressions of the French Revolution, he secretly married Adélaïde Victoire de Marsay (granddaughter of René Vidart de la Ferrandière, a descendant of a niece of the famous philosopher René Descartes).

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 6. Paul Augustin: Born in 1799, he served as honorary judge and mayor of Lureuil for his entire life until his death in 1884. In 1831, he married Camille Noémie Picquenon. Around 1840, they built the elegant modern Château de La Brosse, seamlessly adjacent to the modest medieval Besdon structure.

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 7. Augustin Aimé: Born in 1840, he succeeded his father as mayor of Lureuil. A scholar and man of letters, he published a French translation of Horace's works in 1887. In 1886, he married Louise du Authier (1859–1923). He died in December 1901. Following his death, his widow established a free school for girls in Lureuil.

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3. Genealogy of the du Authier Family

 

Through the marriage of Augustin Aimé in 1886, the estate allied with the prestigious du Authier line, an ancient noble family from Limousin whose knights fought in the Crusades (1248) and are commemorated at the Palace of Versailles. Their direct lineage stretches back centuries:

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•  Aymar (1400) → Antoine (m. 1462) → Jean (m. 1491) → Antoine (c. 1520) → Jean (m. 1556) → Gabriel (m. 1590) → Antoine (m. 1632) → Jehan (m. 1659) → Antoine (m. 1705).

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• Jean-Baptiste du Authier: Knight of St. Louis and the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Colonel in the Penthièvre Dragons (1788). Married Marie Léonarde de Rieublanc in 1778.

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• Louis Jean Népomucène du Authier: Married Louise Dufaure de Meilhac in 1809. Their descendants include Frédéric du Authier, father of Louise (wife of Augustin Aimé de Bors).

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Note on Church Benefactions: Around 1900, Mr. and Mrs. de Bors funded extensive restoration work for the church of Lureuil, which was falling into ruin, and donated two beautiful church bells named after them and their children.