The baron of Richardière made build, on the highest point of his property, with approximately 200 meters of Rangisière, a castle with turns and turrets, protected by deep ditches. Naturally, it gave its name to the castle and the village which was formed around. Such was the origin of Gestière (1).

A fact of the history of Guilleri, embellished probably a little by the legend, occurred to the castle from Gestière. You can read this history while clicking here.

Philippe Guilleri was not always also happy in his audacities. December 4, 1608, over the four hours of the evening, it was taken and carried out, reports, in its newspaper, the Protestant minister Merlin of the Small rock. This moment, its troop dispersed, and the majority of the gangsters who made it up were also stopped and sent to the torment.

As for lord Geay, it sent in Paris the detailed account expenditure which the continuation and the catch of Guilleri caused to him. We raise this article

 " "3° Three to four thousand books for food and balances it of the twenty-five men who held garrison in his manor house of Gestière, from July 1604 to May 1606".

The history does not say if it returned in its expenditure but it teaches us that Henri IV, to reward his services, the anoblit, him and its descent, by letter patent gone back to Fontainebleau. The baron Geay died of 1640 to 1650. He carried: "of azure to a sinople pine raised of a crescent and a geai (or an eaglet) of sand" (Gouget, Armorial of Poitou).

(1) La Gestière belongs today to Mr. Le Comte d' Estienne d' Orves. It does not remain any more of the castle but one small part of the body of building and the ground floor of a tower. In a living room which is used as attic to people of the farm one discovers, with much attention, old decorations of chevons. On a black bottom, in the center, a large square of yellow color took shape; on the right and on the left, over the entire length of the rafter, series of peas being followed like the grains of a chain were painted... The stone framings of the windows and the slope of the staircase are finely carved. The chimney of the living room, with the broad and raised coat, in the taste of this time, is also remarkable: it is out of blue granite. The mouldings are quite thorough. There is not, until closings of the doors, bolts and sash bolts etc... which do not indicate the art of a skilful metal worker. Doors, in heart of oak. Were consolidated and decorated by enormous nails, the ones with the diamond head, the others with round form. In the ground floor of 1a turn, one sees also a large chimney: this part if arched with keystone in the shape of pink, the walls are more than one meter thickness... (Communication of Mr. Gouraud, priest of Saint-Georges).

CONTINUATION HERE